site.btaLabour Minister: Corruption Is Not a Threat to Cabinet

The Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov told the Bulgarian National Television on Saturday that he did not see corruption as a threat to the government. His comment was in response to a question whether the second vote of no confidence would be better as a topic and whether the topic of corruption is a threat to the government and the policy it leads. 

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov announced on the sidelines of Parliament on April 3 that his party has already written motives for a vote of no confidence in the government of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on the topic of corruption.

Every vote of no confidence should be respected, whether it is accepted or not by the largest part of society, Gutsanov said. On the 78th day of a government to ask for a vote of no confidence sounds a bit frivolous. There is an unwritten practice of giving at least 100 days to a cabinet, he said. In his opinion, a vote of no confidence on the 78th day and on the subject of foreign policy was a bit pulled out of the thin air. 

The question is not to give reasons for a vote of no confidence, but the opposition, when it makes a vote of no confidence, should consider it - whether it makes sense or not. A vote of no confidence is the strongest possible measure against a cabinet and it is not good to devalue it, Gutsanov said.

Gutsanov noted that even 20 years ago the tax system stipulated part of the money for pensions to come from the central budget. According to him, BGN 15.2 billion is the money for pensions from the collection of the National Social Security Institute, the rest comes from the central budget. There is nearly BGN 2.5 billion more money from the NSSI in 2024 compared to 2023, the Minister also said.