Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Parliament adopts the 2023 budget at first reading

Photo: БГНЕС

Bulgaria's Parliament approved the 2023 state budget in the first reading with 156 votes in favor. The support came from GERB-SDS, PP-DB and DPS deputies. The "BSP for Bulgaria" and the parties "Wazrazhdane" and "There is Such a People" (ITN) voted against.
"This budget is not revolutionary, it continues the policies and best practices started in the last years. We have managed to maintain a 3 percent deficit for the third year in a row and to adjust spending to existing resources without affecting Bulgarian citizens," Finance Minister Assen Vasilev said.
Despite its support, GERB-SDS said that the budget does not solve a single problem and does not envisage serious reform.
According to BSP Chair Kornelia Ninova, the government's measures hinder the work of small and medium-sized enterprises.
The state plan envisages 69.5 billion leva (35.53 billion euros) in revenue. They are to come from better tax and fee collection by the tax and customs authorities, a 100 percent dividend from state-owned enterprises and economic growth of 1.8 percent. 
Expenditures are to amount to 74 billion leva, while social benefits are to be maintained - an increase in pensions according to the Swiss rule, a minimum wage of 780 leva and a poverty line of 504 leva are planned.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

It will be warm and windy with possible precipitation in the southeastern regions

On Saturday , the lowest temperatures will be between 9 and 14°C; in Sofia - it will be around 9°C. In the morning there will be fog and poor visibility in the valleys and fields in Western Bulgaria. During the day there will be..

published on 11/21/25 7:50 PM

Father of 12-year-old Siyana, who lost her life in a road accident, hands over resignation request to Supreme Court of Cassation Chairperson

Nikolai Popov - the father of 12-year-old Siyana, who lost her life in a heavy road accident, handed over to the Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Cassation Galina Zakharova a request from over 22 thousand people against corruption in the judicial..

published on 11/21/25 7:01 PM

Vice President for Europe of the American Jewish Committee in Sofia: Tolerance is part of the identity of Bulgarian society

The tolerance of the Bulgarian people, proven over the centuries, is a guarantee against xenophobia and anti-Semitism, which have no roots in our society. This was stated by President Rumen Radev at a meeting in Sofia with Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache ,..

published on 11/21/25 6:54 PM