site.btaYes, Bulgaria Presents Package of Measures to Curb Budget Deficit

“We are presenting a package of right-wing measures because of the unchecked  government spending, and nearly BGN 500 million in new loans are raised every week,” said Martin Dimitrov from Yes, Bulgaria! on Thursday, speaking to journalists in Parliament. “This record-high spending is pushing Bulgaria toward problems and crisis,” he added. 

The package of measures is divided into three groups, said Yes, Bulgaria! co-chair Bozhidar Bozhanov. The first group focuses on reducing inefficient spending, he explained. This includes requiring civil servants to pay their own social security contributions, introducing centralized recruitment competitions for public employees, gradually phasing out retired employees at the Ministry of Interior, and limiting bonuses in regulatory bodies, the Supreme Judicial Council, public enterprises, and the public administration, the MP clarified. 

Some of the proposed measures include closing down Interior Ministry’s recreational facilities and addressing inefficiencies in the Road Safety Fund, Bozhanov noted. Yes, Bulgaria! also proposes targeted benefits and payments based on income criteria. 

The second group of measures aims to reduce corruption-related spending, Bozhanov stated. “Within the budget procedure, we will propose that municipal projects be prioritized based on a first-come, first-served basis, and that the process be fully digitized,” he said. The party also plans to propose tenders for private hospitals, electronic hospitalization notifications, restrictions on fraudulent disability certifications, and increased transparency within the Food Safety Agency, Bozhanov added. 
  
According to Bozhidar Bozhanov, another proposed measure is to set a fixed cap on loans issued by the Bulgarian Development Bank and to require full transparency in the capitalization of public enterprises. Yes, Bulgaria! is also calling for reforms to the Public Procurement Act and improvements to the business environment. 

“No matter how much we limit spending, the economy needs to generate value,” Bozhanov said, adding that this is why the party proposes tax and regulatory relief for businesses. He also suggested that paid annual leave accumulated during maternity leave should be allowed to be used on an hourly basis by the respective parent. 

Some of the proposed measures have already been submitted to Parliament, while others will be introduced in the coming weeks, Bozhanov noted. 
Martin Dimitrov emphasized that the BGN 7 billion in loans the government plans to spend through state-owned companies like the Bulgarian Development Bank must be stopped. “We are at a critical juncture, and if measures are taken now, the situation can be managed and overcome,” Dimitrov insisted. 
He warned that Bulgaria could avoid a Greek or Romanian scenario - marked by tax hikes, inflation, rising prices, and a worsening cost of living - if the right steps are taken in time.