site.btaParliament Continues Adopting 2021 State Budget Act

November 25 (BTA) - The National Assembly continued adopting the 2021 State Budget Act on second reading at an over seven-hour sitting on Wednesday. Independent MP Pavel Shopov was made to leave the debating chamber after refusing to put on a face mask.

The state budget scheme for next year envisages that revenues will total 27,051,399,400 leva, expenditures 15,817,840,100 leva, and transfers 15,268,824,000 leva.

Bulgaria's GDP is forecast to grow by 2.5 per cent in 2021, and the state budget deficit is projected at over 5 billion leva. A cushion of 600 million leva is planned in case the COVID-19 situation worsens and extra resources are necessary.

BSP for Bulgaria, the main opposition group in the National Assembly, did not support the state budget, arguing that it would undermine financial stability and plunge the country into a debt spiral.

For the budget of the Council of Ministers, the legislature approved an expenditure cap of 66,930,000 leva, including 66,903,300 leva in newly incurred liabilities.

The National Assembly's revenues are set at 1,500,000 leva, and expenditures at 83,015,400 leva.

The expenditures of the President's Administration will amount to 8,976,500 leva.

The expenditures of the judicial system will total 880,317,000 leva, including 330,268,400 leva for the prosecution service, 434,162,200 leva for the courts, 4,387,100 leva for the National Institute of Justice, and 9,871,500 leva for the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council. A reserve of 600,000 leva will be set aside for unforeseen expenditures and/or emergencies in the system.

The Constitutional Court will have 5,579,600 leva to spend next year. Revenues in the Justice Ministry's budget are set at 61,500,000 leva, and expenditures at 364,814,900 leva.

The National Ombudsman will use 3,639,200 leva in public money.

In the field of healthcare, the MPs approved 783,982,000 leva in Health Ministry expenditures. The policy of public health promotion and control will be financed with 144,455,300 leva. An expenditure cap of 449,838,700 leva was approved for the Health Ministry. This is the limit for newly incurred liabilities. The Ministry's revenues, including aid and donations, are projected at 37,500,000 leva.

For the labour and social policy portfolio, expenditures will amount to 1,838,147,400 leva. An allocation of 47 million leva will go towards supporting pensioners whose pension(-s) is/are no more than 369 leva per month. Each one of them will receive a one-off food allowance of 120 leva.

The National Assembly defeated a motion by Dora Yankova of BSP for Bulgaria and other MPs to allocate 3 million leva for protection against domestic violence. Another failed proposal was that of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, who suggested that the Dari.bg association should be granted a state subsidy of over 1 million leva.

Defence, Police, Foreign Affairs

Defence spending includes resources for a multi-role patrol ship for the Navy and armoured vehicles for the Land Forces, as well as for an integrated system and infrastructure for the introduction and operation of the new F-16 fighter jets. The Defence Ministry's budget is set at 1,625,116,700 leva.

The Interior Ministry's expenditures are projected at 1,950,273,400 leva.

The Foreign Ministry's budget of 150,557,900 leva includes 128,447,700 leva for the development of an effective diplomatic service, 1,189,700 leva for public diplomacy, and 20,920,500 leva for active bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.

Education and Science

The Education and Science Ministry's budget totals 808,219,600 leva. The transfer to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is set at 117,857,000 leva. The Macedonian Scientific Institute will get 100,000 leva in financing.

The Bulgarian Association of Families from Macedonia was allocated 35,000 leva on a proposal by United Patriots. The MPs rejected a proposal by the Bulgarian Socialist Party for an allocation of 100,000 leva to the Thracian Scientific Institute.

Environment, Economy, Energy, Tourism

The budget of the Environment and Water Ministry was set at 64,645,800 leva; of the Economy Ministry at 101,329,300 leva; of the Energy Ministry at 73,724,000 leva; and of the Tourism Ministry at 25,053,000 leva.

Culture

The Culture Ministry's expenditure was set at 245 million leva. The Chitalishta Union as a nationally representative organization of the community centres (chitalishta) was allocated 140,000 leva.

Agriculture, Regional Development, Transport

The expenditures of the Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ministry were set at 330,870,000 leva. Subsidies and other current transfers to non-financial enterprises total 250,561,000 leva. Capital expenditures are projected at 8,490,900 leva, while revenues, grants and donations total 175,930,700 leva.

The Regional Development and Public Works Ministry will have a budget of 910,921,100 leva.

The revenues and expenditures of the Agriculture, Food and Forestry Ministry are projected at 149,386,000 leva and 243,475,200 leva respectively.

Special Services

The expenditures of the State Agency for National Security were set at 137,551,000 leva. The expenditures of the State Intelligence Agency are projected at 49,958,900 leva, of the National Service for Protection at 47,879,500 leva, and of the Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission at 23,400,700 leva.

Central Election Commission (CEC), Council for Electronic Media (CEM), Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC)

The CEC was allocated 5,791,000 leva for the holding of fair, lawful and free elections and national referendums.

CEM's budget envisages revenues, grants and donations of 1,200,000 leva and expenditures for the regulation of the radio and television market of 2,916,000 leva.

EWRC's revenues and expenditures are projected at 10,720,000 leva and 9,333,900 leva respectively. Payroll expenses were set at 7,714,300 leva and capital expenditures at 176,000 leva.

Transport Subsidies and Transfers

Subsidies of 32 million leva were approved for unprofitable bus services (urban passenger transport and transport in mountain and other regions). Sofia Municipality will get 11 million leva for urban transport. The National Railway Infrastructure Company will get an allocation of 195 million leva and a transfer of 140 million leva.
A transfer of 109 million leva was approved for BDZ Passenger Services. The Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company will get a transfer of 148,471,000 leva.

State Fund Agriculture

The expenditures of State Fund Agriculture were capped at 370.9 million leva. Its own revenues are projected at about 3.5 million leva. The maximum expenditure commitments are projected at 327.4 million leva, while new commitments were capped at 325.4 million leva.

Public media

In 2021, the Bulgarian News Agency will receive 6,649,000 leva, the Bulgarian National Television 82,322,700 leva, and the Bulgarian National Radio 54,070,900 leva.

The State e-Government Agency will have a budget of 33,066,000 leva. The National Bureau for Control of Special Surveillance Means will receive 1,693,700 leva. RI/VE, DD

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