"Progressive Bulgaria" insists on an audit of the growth of pensions and social benefits

A group of members of parliament from "Progressive Bulgaria" have submitted a proposal for the National Audit Office to conduct an audit of the funds allocated to pensioners and people with disabilities for the period 2020–2026. The goal is to verify whether the growth of pensions and social payments is in line with the growth of social security contributions and to what extent the decisions made were sustainable and economically justified.

The leader of the ruling party's parliamentary group, Petar Vitanov, commented on the initiative on bTV. When asked by the host what might follow from such an audit, he explicitly emphasized that there is no intention to reduce the money of pensioners. Vitanov stated that the goal is to shed light on the "voluntaristic approach" where, in recent years, money for pensions has been increased "like at a Gypsy wedding," without a clear link between expenses and the insurance base.

According to him, it is important to establish how the decisions for the growth of pensions and social benefits were made, whether they were effective, and what can be improved. "If they were not, let us ensure that such types of decisions are effective," Vitanov pointed out. According to him, the findings of the audit should show whether and which social payments should be increased in the future.

Vitanov announced that a similar audit will also be requested for road projects, including the controversial guardrails. Thus, the ruling party is clearly aiming for a broader revisionist look at public spending – from the social system to infrastructure. According to political observers, the concept behind this could be linked to a possible freeze or slower growth of social payments if it is determined that they are increasing faster than revenues.

In the motives of the ruling MPs, it is stated that the main task of the audit is to determine whether expenditures for pensions and social benefits have not increased excessively relative to social security revenues. The National Audit Office must complete its analysis by the end of October, and the report is expected to serve as a basis for future decisions in the field of social policy and the budget.

Vitanov stated that a "constructive conversation" will be held in parliament regarding the budget, but the question is not about its withdrawal, but about refining priorities and expenditure policies. According to him, society needs clarity on how funds are spent and to what extent they correspond to the real social security and economic capacity of the country.

The leader of "Progressive Bulgaria" also commented on the topic of the Dossier Commission, stating that, in his opinion, the need for this structure has ceased. Vitanov cited a Pernik saying, "The snow is falling, yet I am mowing," to describe a situation where an institution continues to function without real meaning or contribution. He is convinced that the Dossier Commission "just spends money and is completely pointless," which he believes is another example of public spending that needs to be reconsidered.

The upcoming audit by the National Audit Office is expected to become a key test for the transparency and effectiveness of social policy in Bulgaria over the last few years. If the analysis confirms that the decisions were sustainable and supported by real revenues, this could strengthen trust in the system. However, if serious discrepancies are found between expenses and the insurance base, the debate about the future of pensions and social benefits will likely become even more intense.