Higher energy prices could push up inflation in Bulgaria, central bank governor Dimitar Radev has warned. Those in power again named the fight against rising prices as their top priority.
Radev said consumer prices in Bulgaria in September were 5.6% higher than a year earlier, measured by the harmonised index of consumer prices. Across the eurozone, prices rose 3.8% over the same period.
Konstantin Prodanov, chair of parliament's budget and finance committee, said the government's main task is to break the trend with every tool it has. He said this is hard because many of the causes are external.
The 2027 budget was not sent to parliament by 31 October, as was the case last year too. The financial framework will most likely be presented on Friday.
Talks with the European Commission are still going on, deputy prime minister Atanas Pekanov said. He said the budget will be presented this week, and detailed talks will then begin.
Next year's budget plan, which has also gone to Brussels, assumes inflation of 4%, below the September level.
"Progressive Bulgaria" has pledged that pensions will rise under the Swiss rule and that social benefits will not be cut. It will become clear which payments will go up when the financial framework is presented.