Parliament adopts the first reading budget (OBZOR) 2019

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Parliament adopted the vote at first reading in 2019 with 115 votes in favor and 85 against. The budget went with the votes of the GERB and the United Patriots. It was supported by a MEP and an independent MP. The "anti" budget was voted by the BSP and the MRF. The vote in plenary was attended by almost all ministers.
The priorities of the 2019 budget are social policy, education, defense and income policy. Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said: "The budget for 2019 is not pre-election. We are working for our pre-election budget, but we will look into it by the end of 2020." "The elections, at least as we see the government, will be in 2021 "he said. Against the criticism that there are no budget reforms, Goranov said the government is ready to discuss any proposed reform that is not an end in itself.
The BSP is opposed to the next year's financial framework. Leftist leader Cornelia Ninova said the 2019 budget is a budget of stagnation and inadequacy for the government to survive. According to her, next year the government will plunder other profitable state-owned assets in the economy. The MRF also opposes the next year's budget. Jordan Csonev, the deputy chairman of the MRF government, stressed that the budget does not reflect the country's economic development cycle and does not support growth. He notes that in 2019 budget planning will continue to be inadequate, with high capital costs and surplus, which will be spent by the decrees of the Council of Ministers.
Budget revenues amount to 43.8 billion Leva and in 2021 it is estimated to amount to 47.5 billion Euros. There is a deficit of 0.5% of GDP. GDP growth is expected to increase to 3.7% in 2019. Unemployment is expected to fall to 4.8%. The cost in 2019 will be 44.4 billion euros and in 2021 it is expected to reach 47.5 billion euros. The budget foresees 40.4 million Euros for heating aid, 50% more than in 2018. 150 million will be granted to people with disabilities and 7 million to orphan children without the right to a survivor's pension. Next year, defense spending will reach 1.8 billion pounds, or 1.58% of the country's GDP. The funds will be earmarked for the modernization of the Air Force, Forest Forces and Navy. Next year, funds for staff will be increased in the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice. Municipal revenues will increase by 120.8 million leva compared with the projected for 2018. The minimum wage will increase from 510 to 560 leva. 10% more are wage and social security contributions for civil servants. Teachers' salaries will be 20% higher and salaries of non-teaching staff by 10%. There will also be an increase in the funds earmarked for first to fourth grade pupils. With more than half a billion leva more funds will be allocated to municipalities. In 2019 the public debt is expected to fall from 22.2 to 20 billion euros. Thus, Bulgaria will be the third lowest debt in the EU. Consolidated general government debt will range between US $ 24.3-23.5 billion,
Biljana Ivanova

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