site.btaUPDATED VP Iotova: It Has Been Over a Month, and Still There Is No Information on the 2025 State Budget

Vice President Iliana Iotova told reporters on Sunday that it has been more than a month, and still there is no information on what the 2025 State Budget will be. Iotova was in the village of Delchevo for the local wine festival, which is organized for the 20th consecutive year.

The Vice President pointed out that this is the country's most important law and added: "I am not even saying that they [incomes] should be raised, but they should be settled, because anyone who has walked into a shop knows very well how prices are going up every day."

Iotova said: "Have you heard in the last month any talk about how the country's regions will develop through this budget, given that projects under the operational programmes have been virtually suspended for years? So far, I have not heard a single proposal. Since its beginning, this discussion has been used more for political confrontation in parliament, before the draft budget was even tabled." She added that she expects to have the analytical results within the coming days, which should help to clarify the situation.

The Vice President said that postponing the request for the convergence report on the introduction of the euro is not a reason for concern. She added: "I trust in the Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova, who said that the postponement will be for a month, a month and a half. I do not believe this deadline is fatal. What matters is to be ready, to have the real figures passed on to our European partners, so that we do not end up in the scenario of Greece."

Asked about the proposal to increase salaries in the Interior Ministry system, Iotova said: "Let us give some time to the new Minister of Interior [Daniel Mitov] to see his vision for the entire Interior Ministry system. What does it mean to deprive some of their salaries and give more to others? Is there any Bulgarian who does not think that the police officers who protect our security every day should be paid higher salaries. Hardly anyone would object." Iotova concluded that the system should be looked at in its entirety to establish what funds are needed.