site.btaParliament Adopts 2020 State Budget Bill on First Reading

November 13 (BTA) - Parliament Wednesday adopted on first
 reading the 2020 State Budget Bill proposed by the Finance
Ministry with 126 votes in favour and 92 against.

The Bill sets the expenditures and revenues at 46,826.5 million
leva each.

Next year the GDP growth is projected at 3.3 per cent, driven by
 domestic demand. Inflation is forecast at 2.3 per cent at the
end of 2020 and at 2.1 per cent in mid-2020. The unemployment
rate is expected to slow down its decrease and reach 4.1 per
cent.

The 2020 state budget prioritizes education, healthcare,
defence, pension policy and income policy.

Next year Bulgaria's contribution to the EU budget will amount
to 1,397.4 million leva, up by 115.3 million leva from 2019.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and BSP for Bulgaria
described the draft 2020 state budget as "more of the same".

The Left wing said this is a "budget of stagnation".

The MRF criticized the draft budget for its lack of reforms and
proposed a debate on differential VAT as an instrument for
economic development.

The GERB parliamentary group explained that the draft budget
takes into view the Government's priorities and is yet another
met promise to Bulgarian citizens. The budget is implementable,
predictable and guarantees the peace of mind of the business and
 the people.

The Volya parliamentary group said the draft budget is inertive
but they will support it because they are responsible and
consistent.

***

During the parliamentary sitting, Supreme Judicial Council (SJC)
 head Boyan Magdalinchev presented a position on the 2020 State
Budget Bill.

He said the 771.3 million leva of expenditures set in the
Judiciary's budget are not sufficient to cover activities for
the appointment of 110 judicial employees, repair and
acquisition of buildings worth 33 million leva, an update of the
 personnel's remunerations, and a change in the classifications
of administrative positions at the prosecuting magistracy, the
Supreme Court of Cassation, the Supreme Administrative Court,
and courts. In comparison, the draft budget of the Judiciary
elaborated by the SJC sets expenditures at 859.3 million leva,
Magdalinchev specified.

The SJC's draft budget of the Judiciary sets revenues from court
 fees at 110 million leva, compared to the 116 million leva
proposed by the Finance Ministry, because the last years have
seen a downward trend in revenues from such fees, Magdalinchev
said.

DT/DS


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