site.btaFinance Ministry Denies Including New Government Aircraft in 2025 State Budget

The 2025  State Budget Bill does not include funds for the acquisition of a new government aircraft and such an aircraft will not be purchased, stated the Ministry of Finance in a press release in response to Continue the Change Co-chair and former finance minister Assen Vassilev’s statements on Bulgarian National Television (BTN) on Friday evening.

Vassilev criticized the 2025 budget, saying that no money was found to increase tax breaks for parents, but that BGN 209 million was allocated for a new government aircraft and BGN 88 million for a government helicopter.

The Ministry of Finance wrote that this statement is "manipulation".

The Finance Ministry explained that , on the recommendation of the State Aviation Operator, a reserve list of projects includes the need to acquire a new government aircraft for the purpose of flight safety, as a recommendation was also made for the state helicopter, the ministry explained and reiterated that the 2025 Budget does not include funds for the purchase of a new government aircraft.

“One of the biggest problems of the country is related to the fact that there is no normal dialogue based on the truth and facts, to the extent that the National Statistical Institute (NSI) and the data of Eurostat and the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) are denied,” said Vassilev on BNT on Friday evening.