Vassilev slams 2026 budget as unsupported and reckless

Bulgaria lacks a finalized state spending plan as mid-November arrives, with former Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Vassilev telling bTV that the Finance Ministry remains mired in an ongoing fiscal crisis. The ex-official noted that more than 300 financial sector professionals unanimously backed eurozone entry while offering zero support for the proposed deficit-heavy budget framework, leaving society confused about its purpose and contents.

Vassilev claimed no parliamentary majority faction genuinely supports the financial blueprint despite its likely passage, with legislators privately expressing disappointment over its direction. He explained that administrative bonuses draw funding from approximately 10,000 unfilled government positions whose allocated resources departments retain rather than returning to central coffers. The former deputy prime minister argued that politicians wrongly prioritize maximum expenditure when fiscal restraint should guide policy, adding that eurozone membership and responsible budgeting represent separate issues despite government attempts to link them.