site.btaFinance Minister: Any Claims that Bulgarians Are Getting Poorer Are "Totally Unfounded"

Any claims that Bulgarian citizens are becoming poorer and that incomes are decreasing are totally unfounded, Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said here Wednesday at the start of the government's weekly meeting. "From the beginning of 2025 until now, personnel expenses—including wages and other remuneration—have increased by BGN 3,684,900,000, or 18.2%, from 2024. The results speak for themselves. Any claims suggesting that Bulgarian citizens are becoming poorer are entirely unfounded," Petkova said in front of the Prime Minister and ministers.

Minister Petkova then presented data related to personnel expenses, social and health insurance payments, pensions, as well as capital expenditures.

Breaking down the personnel expenses by function: in education, they have been BGN 907,200,000 more than in 2024; in healthcare BGN 98,300,000, or 8.3%, more; in defense BGN 633,300,000 more; in law enforcement BGN 1,280,500,000 more, the Minister said.

Social and health insurance payments in 2025, up to this point and based on current legislation, are BGN 4,161,000,000 higher than in 2024—a 12% increase. Pensions have increased by 11.2%, with an additional BGN 2,428,000,000 paid out, Petkova added.

Capital expenditures have also increased—by approximately BGN 2 billion. This is due to the accelerated pace at which the Recovery and Resilience Plan and European programmes are being implemented, the Finance Minister further said.