Budget 2027 will be adopted on time, stated Prime Minister Rumen Radev at the opening of the regular government meeting. At the start of the new parliamentary session, he called upon the members of parliament to mobilize and work diligently, emphasizing that the state is facing the adoption of the financial framework and a number of key reforms outlined in the governance program.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the upcoming presidential elections in October will solidify the steady path toward normalization followed by the government since the entry of "Progressive Bulgaria" into the Council of Ministers. According to Radev, the country is returning to a normal political cycle after a period of instability. He focused on the fight against corruption, noting that the operations of the security services and the Ministry of Interior at the mafia den in "Dragalevtsi" are proof that there are no untouchables and that the process of upholding the rule of law is irreversible.
A significant part of the discussion at the Council of Ministers was devoted to the state of education. Radev pointed out that despite the increased volume of investment over the years, the quality of education has not improved, and the latest data from the PISA test ranks Bulgaria last in the EU in mathematics and reading, as well as among the countries with the lowest results in natural sciences. According to the Prime Minister, this poses a direct threat to the country's future competitiveness and standard of living.
In this regard, the government is discussing a conceptual shift in the system:
- Abandoning the current "money follows the student" model, which is exhausted and only encourages quantitative pushing of students through to 12th grade.
- Transitioning to a new model focused on the quality of education and the development of character.
- Returning the focus to discipline, patriotic education, and the in-depth acquisition of knowledge.
The Minister of Education and Science expressed readiness to implement this reform, with the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) already working hard in this direction. The cabinet's goal is to secure a dignified place for Bulgaria in the European Union by eliminating compromises in education and guaranteeing the status of teachers.
The agenda of the government meeting covers 41 items, including important administrative and financial decisions:
- Adoption of a draft Decree for the budget estimate for the preparation and conduct of the presidential elections.
- Approval of a proposal to the National Assembly for the ratification by law of amendments to the Framework Agreement between the Ministry of Economy and the Lockheed Martin Corporation regarding industrial cooperation on the F-16 Block 70 fighter jet project.
- Allocation of additional transfers to municipal budgets for 2026 for the implementation of national programs.
- Appointment of state representatives to the Supervisory Board of the National Health Insurance Fund.
- Discussion of mechanisms for providing additional financial aid to those most severely affected by the floods in the past week.