site.btaBulgarians Want Spending on Healthcare, Pensions and Roads to Be Most Increased in 2025 State Budget - Alpha Research Poll

Bulgarians want spending on healthcare, roads and pensions to be increased the most in the 2025 state budget, according to a survey conducted by Alpha Research. 

The survey, conducted in the period February 20 - 28, 2025 with own funds by Alpha Research, was published on Wednesday on the Agency's website. The poll was conducted among 1,000 adults from across the country, with information collected through a direct standardized tablet interview at the homes of respondents.

Respondents indicated that spending on healthcare should be increased by 57.4%, on road infrastructure and road safety by 37.2%, on pensions by 54.5%.

Healthcare is a priority for absolutely all social, demographic and electoral groups, with only in the over-65s group being displaced by the desire for pension growth, the polling agency noted. 

For Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) supporters (64%), and also for supporters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) - New Beginning and Democracy for Rights and Freedoms (DRF) (both about 47%), pensions are more important than infrastructure. The development of infrastructure is supported to a greater extent by the young and middle age generation, men, people with higher incomes, as well as by supporters of GERB, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), Vazrazhdane and There Is Such a People (TISP).

For 20% of the respondents, the 2025 state budget should increase spending on education and salaries for teachers and university professors, with the highest priority given by university graduates, people with children, sofianites, CC-DB and TISP supporters.

The army and national security, as well as culture and preservation of historical heritage, were ranked as priorities by 10% of respondents each, the survey data showed. 

Only 3.7% of the respondents insist on an increase of the funds for the Interior Ministry, including 7.7% of GERB voters and about 3% of the voters of the other coalition partners, Alpha Research said. Just under 8% would like to see higher growth in funds for other sectors.

Despite the differences on the distribution of funds per item, which clashes social and political priorities, there is a very high degree of unanimity among Bulgarian citizens on the question "should the state's spending be spread according to what is produced, or can it be bigger?"

For the 66%, the state should spend on income, social payments, and so on - as much as it can afford, and inflation, deficit and debt should not be allowed to rise. 

The opposite position, that the state should spend as much as it needs to increase incomes, social payments, and others, even if it means higher inflation, deficit and debt, is held by 25% of respondents.  For 9% it was difficult to judge which financial policy was more appropriate for the country.

A sensible and balanced fiscal policy of the state, similar to that of a family budget, is preferred by Bulgarians, and no social or electoral group questions this principle, according to the analysis of Alpha Research.