site.btaCaretaker Finance Minister Sees Serious Problems in Budget in May, Stresses Need to Find Money for Business, Health Care, Pensions

May 28 (BTA) - Speaking at a regular briefing on Friday,
caretaker Finance Minister Assen Vassilev said that there are
serious problems in May in the budget and that money needs to be
 found for the business, health care and pensions.

Vassilev said that until mid-May, the previous government had
approved extra spending amounting to 1,164 million leva above
what was planned in the budget. He argued that the budget should
 have been updated at the start of May, instead of "pulling
money from various budget items" to cover needs caused by the
coronavirus crisis.

Vassilev said that the work is underway on a programme for
business recovery. In his words, given that currently there are
no businesses restricted by pandemic measures, a shift needs to
be made from payments to previously closed businesses to work
that increases business orders and activity.

The Finance Minister that the budget will be restructured to the
 tune of 810 million leva, adding that a large part of this
amount is capital expenditure, as well as other budget outlays.
Some 0.8 per cent will be taken from each of the budgets of the
ministries and from second-level budget spending entities, he
said. Vassilev also argued that "it would be wrong to dip in the
 buffer set aside for epidemic measures", although the buffer
has resources. The Finance Minister also said that money was
found in the central government budget to boost employment in
tourism. NV/ZH

//