Discussion of the state budget for 2024 will begin next week in plenary, and tomorrow – of the proposals for amendments to the tax laws. This was agreed by Finance Minister Assen Vassilev and the chair of the National Assembly’s Budget and Finance Committee Yordan Tsonev, BNR’s Maria Fileva reports.

The two met one day after GERB threatened to boycott the bills proposed by the government over the “dismissal for political reasons”, as GERB put it, of the director of Pirogov hospital. According to Assen Vassilev, the new budget will be approved before Christmas.

• Pirogov hospital director fired over serious financial violations, health minister says

Minister Vassilev made a comment on the dismissal of the director of Pirogov emergency hospital Valentin Dimitrov, saying: “What I called Mr Borissov to say yesterday was that there is no way the budget of the country can be held hostage because of any hospital director. And that I believe that if a cabinet minister cannot ensure there is support for the policy pursued, the best thing would be for him to resign,” Assen Vassilev said.