site.btaMPs Continue Adopting 2020 State Budget Act, Surprise Turn over Party Subsidy

114 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - STATE BUDGET Ampl 3

Parliament Continues Adopting 2020 
State Budget Act, Surprise Turn over
Party Subsidy


Sofia, December 5 (BTA) - The National Assembly continued adopting the 2020 State Budget Act conclusively on Thursday. It passed the budget of the Education and Agriculture Ministry, the budgets of municipalities, the public media and for social payments. There was a surprise turn over the party subsidies.

Education 

The MPs allocated 4,800 million leva for education in 2020. Education and Science Minister Krassimir Valchev said the real increase from 2019 was 600 million leva (apart from the increase in EU funding), adding that this would be the largest education budget so far. In addition, 70 million leva have been allocated for kindergarten construction and the completion of school buildings. Commenting on the allocation of 360 million leva for an increase in teachers' salaries, he said it is not enough but is much needed if the results are to improve.

The transfers to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and the state higher schools are projected at 604,822,900 leva, including 105,611,000 leva to BAS, 73,565,500 leva to the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, 54,552,200 leva to the Technical University of Sofia, 39,055,700 leva to the Medical University of Sofia, 23,962,500 leva to the University of National and World Economy, 13,369,000 leva to Veliko Turnovo University, 26,393,500 leva to Plovdiv University and 4,319,100 leva to the Academy of Economics of Svishtov.

Agriculture, Food and Forestry Ministry

Next year's budget of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry will have 128 million leva for personnel, or by 10 million leva more than in 2019 to ensure a pay raise in the sector.

The Socialists and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) stressed that the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, the Hail Suppression Agency, the Agricultural Academy, and Irrigation Systems are chronically underfunded, which poses a risk.

Public Media

Next year, the Bulgarian News Agency will receive 5,811,400 leva, the Bulgarian National Television 70,907,100 leva, and the Bulgarian National Radio 47,044,900 leva. 

Municipalities

Next year's total subsidy for activities the State has delegated to municipalities is 3,653,185,200 leva, the transfers for local activities are 307,022,000 leva, and the transfer for maintenance of municipal roads in winter is 43,228,100 leva. The targeted subsidy for capital expenditures is 199,110,200 leva. 

The majority voted down a motion by the Socialists for one-fifth of the income tax and one-tenth of the VAT to remain in municipalities. 

Social Payments

The minimum basic salary at the lowest position available to a public official is increased to 610 leva as of January 1 from the current 560 leva. 

The income-based criterion for child benefits is raised by 10 leva. The full amount of child benefits will be obtained if in 2019 a family member's average monthly income was lower or equal to 410 leva, and 80 per cent of the child benefits will be paid if that income was between 410 and 510 leva. Child benefits remain 40 leva a month for a single child.

The total annual quota for providing food vouchers under the Corporate Income Taxation Act is set at 350 million leva. It was increased by 30 million leva on a motion by GERB.

Party subsidy

Following a surprise turn which prompted a pause for consultations, the ruling GERB and the United Patriots decided to back a socialist proposal for party subsidies of 8 leva per valid vote from the latest general elections.

Before that, the legislature rejected both the proposal of the power-holders for a party subsidy of 1 lev and that of the opposition Socialists for 8 leva. The result was that the Budget Act did not provide for any subsidy for the political parties, Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Mustafa Karadayi told reporters. 

MRF were happy with the way things turned out as they argue that parties represented in Parliament should be financed entirely through donations. 

Earlier in the day Karadayi told reporters that GERB and the Socialist party (BSP) had conspired to adopt in Parliament the Socialists' proposal for a party subsidy of 8 leva. 

Socialist leader Kornelia Ninova said MRF's allegations were a lie. Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov told journalists that GERB's position in favour of a party subsidy of 1 lev per valid vote remained unchanged and said he was not aware of an agreement between GERB and the BSP. 

After what turned out to be a gaffe with the zero subsidy, MRF's Yordan Tsonev commented that it could be undone only after the budget law is gazetted. 

Finance Minister Goranov returned to Parliament and the legislature took a break - and it produced a vote in favour of subsidies of 8 leva per valid vote.

At 20:00 hrs, there was more in the 2020 State Budget Act that remained to be put to the vote.