Reforms and optimization in the 2026 Budget

The next budget includes significant reforms, covering both administrative optimizations and the closure of redundant state agencies. The goal is to achieve higher efficiency and increase economic transparency, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov stated on BNT.

Debates on the 2026 State Budget Bill continue, with the opposition criticizing the planned deficit, while the ruling coalition defines the financial framework as a "legacy budget."

National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP): The August 31 deadline is final

  • Critical deadlines: There are 45 days left until August 31 – the final deadline for reporting all expenditures under the Plan.
  • Fifth payment: Bulgaria expects 1.8 billion euros, provided that the institutions mobilize their efforts.
  • Mobilization: Pekanov emphasized that the deadlines are not fictitious and urged beneficiaries to accelerate work on their projects.

Bulgaria's position on the war in Ukraine

Regarding military aid to Ukraine, Pekanov was categorical: "There is no financial possibility for Bulgaria to help, and the options for military support have been exhausted." According to the Deputy Prime Minister, our country should focus on diplomacy and the search for peace, distancing itself from an approach that, in his view, has not yielded results so far.

Key points from the statement:

  • Emphasis on diplomacy and peace.
  • Acknowledgment of Russia's aggression as "brutal and idiotic," but a critical view of the effectiveness of the current European approach.
  • Political context: According to Pekanov, a significant portion of voters support the country's balanced position.