site.btaGERB's Borissov Vows to "Bring Back Lost National Recovery Funds" if GERB Governs

GERB leader Boyko Borissov promised to "bring back the funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan that Bulgaria lost yesterday", if GERB governs. Borissov was speaking to journalists in Kazanlak on Friday.

His statement follows caretaker Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova's warning that Bulgaria must submit changes to the Recovery and Resilience Plan by October 15-20 to avoid losing EU funds, as delays in reforms have already stalled the second payment. Speaking at the 100th anniversary celebration of the Arsenal factory in Kazanlak, Borissov emphasized that GERB must win decisively, cautioning that if the election results persisted, those same funds would have to come from taxpayers.

Borissov discussed his experience with Brussels, which distinguishes him from other politicians, as he understands what is possible and what is not. Bulgaria lost the largest payment in the energy sector, Borissov said about the parliamentary session on Thursday, which he described as the daily routine of non-system parties. He was referring to Thursday's parliamentary sitting, where debates on climate neutrality and NRRP revisions were blocked by opposition parties due to a lack of quorum, ultimately leading to the sitting's termination.

Borissov noted that Bulgarians seem not to need those billions, as evidenced by their votes for these parties, and expressed hope that people will eventually recognize the reality.

"People who create jobs want stable governance and a functioning government", Borissov said. "Those who manage big businesses expect a government, expect security, and expect the taxes they pay would be used for roads and water infrastructure, and will not be used for the Maritsa Basin, because we lost those funds yesterday [Thursday]. The money we lost will have to come out of the state budget, and we would not be able to use it for several years", Borissov said.

He added that on Thursday, GERB, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms were united. "There are chances for that even after the elections", he said.