site.bta2015 National Budget Act Passes Conclusively

2015 National Budget Act Passes Conclusively


Sofia, December 20 (BTA) - After a nearly 17-hour debate which
ended in the small hours of Saturday, Parliament adopted the
framework of the 2015 National Budget Act after adopting the
budgets of the National Health Insurance Fund and of Public
Social Insurance.

Revenues, aid and donations total 18,247,592,900 leva,
expenditures are projected at 9,056,486,200 leva, and transfers
at 10,436,918,900 leva. The contribution to the EU budget is
979,871,600 leva.

The budget balance is in a deficit of 2,225,683,800 leva.

Tax revenues are projected at 16,603,786,700 leva, including:
- 1,551,185,000 leva from corporation tax;
- 80,980,000 leva from income taxes on juristic persons;
- 2,754,180,000 leva from income taxes on natural persons;
- 7,741,250,000 leva from VAT;
- 4,180,400,000 leva from excise duty;
- 30,335,000 leva from insurance premium tax;
- 144,750,000 leva from customs duties and charges.

Non-tax revenues are projected at 1,630,106,200 leva.

Transfers to the municipalities are set at 2,485,635,900 leva,
to Public Social Insurance at 5,052,629,900 leva, and to the
National Health Insurance Fund at 1,020,279,000 leva.

The transfer to Bulgarian National Radio is 42,112,000 leva, to
Bulgarian National Television 65,147,000 leva, to the Bulgarian
News Agency (BTA) 4,385,000 leva, and to the state-run higher
schools 410,263,400 leva.

The MPs also approved the appropriations to the judiciary, the
Constitutional Court, the Council of Ministers, the President,
the National Audit Office and the Ombudsman.

The expenditures of the judiciary were set at 473,000,000 leva,
including 12,003,900 leva for the Supreme Judicial Council,
14,788,200 leva for the Supreme Court of Cassation, 11,330,800
leva for the Supreme Administrative Court, 183,325,000 leva for
the Prosecution Office, 244,455,000 leva for the courts,
3,085,600 leva for the National Institute of Justice, 3,411,500
leva for the Inspectorate with the Supreme Judicial Council, and
600,000 leva contingency expenses.

The Constitutional Court was allocated 3,240,000 leva.

The National Assembly was allocated 53,000,000 leva, of which
50,403,000 leva for current expenditures, 2,097,000 leva for
capital expenditures and 500,000 leva contingency expenses.

The Council of Ministers' appropriation is 71,703,000 leva.

The appropriation to the President's Administration is 6,050,000
leva, of which 5,820,000 leva for current expenditures,
3,868,000 leva payroll costs, and 230,000 leva capital
expenditures.

The National Audit Office was allocated 15,207,000 leva.

The Ombudsman was allocated 2,347,000 leva.

Parliament also adopted the budgets of the ministries.

The Defence Ministry's revenues, aid and donations are projected
at 30,000,000 leva, and its expenditures at 954,589,000 leva.

The Interior Ministry's revenues are projected at 170,378,000
leva, and its expenditures at 1,031,760,000 leva.

The expenditures of the State Agency for National Security were
set at 107,924,000 leva, including current expenditures of
101,124,000 leva.

The Justice Ministry's revenues were set at 62,000,000 leva and
its expenditures at 191,947,000 leva, including current
expenditures of 177,562,000 leva.

The Labour and Social Policy Ministry's revenues are projected
at 28,000,000 leva and its expenditures at 1,101,380,800 leva.

The Health Ministry's expenditures were set at 435,219,800 leva.

The expenditures of the Education and Science Ministry were set
at 417,323,600 leva.

The Culture Ministry's revenues were set at 22,500,000 leva and
its expenditures at 126,693,600 leva.

The Energy Ministry is projected to have revenues of 130,235,300
leva and expenditures of 51,265,600 leva.

The Regional Development and Public Works Ministry is projected
to spend 316,522,500 leva.

The party subsidy remained unchanged at 11 leva per valid vote.

Before the conclusive adoption of the 2015 National Budget Act,
Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said he did not claim this
was a good budget but rather that it was the feasible budget.
"It is up to all of us to make it better," he said.

Parliament adjourns for the Christmas recess on December 22 and
its new plenary session begins on Wednesday, January 14, 2015.
Its recess ends on January 10.