After Standard & Poor's changed Bulgaria's credit rating outlook from positive to stable, opposition MPs called the decision a warning to the cabinet. Ruling-party MPs said it was the natural end to the National Audit Office's three audit reports. This is clear from their statements.

The decision became known on Friday evening, when the Finance Ministry said the country's rating was confirmed. Democratic Bulgaria asked the government for a new version of the budget with a deficit below 3% of GDP.

On Friday, S&P's assessment cited the one-off windfall profits tax, from which the state expects 800 million euros, as proof that the deficit measures are not working.

The rating itself was not cut. Parliament will debate the 2027 budget and hold a first vote on it next week.

Vladislav Goranov of GERB-SDS said the cabinet has big communication gaps and does not dare to use part of its falling rating to improve the environment. "The government fails to address some of the problems our society faces, and sadly it wastes our time," he said. He said the agency's assessment will be a strong basis for the budget debate, and its conclusions are clear in advance.

Martin Dimitrov of Democratic Bulgaria called the decision a negative verdict on the government's budget policy. He noted that the Fiscal Council had also rated the budget negatively a day earlier. His party shares that view, and the cabinet must rewrite the budget. "And I ask: who else has to tell these people that their budget is very bad, so that they finally rewrite it?" Dimitrov said.

Nikolay Denkov, head of the parliamentary group of We Continue the Change, repeated the party's position from a few days ago: with the budget as submitted, the country will fall into recession. He said the agency is saying the same thing, and investors look at such ratings among the first things when they decide whether to enter a country.

Todor Dzhikov of Progressive Bulgaria pointed out that the agency's reasons expressly cite the growing budget deficit in recent years, rising foreign debt and the interest on it. The rating was not cut because the government has made a serious and good budget for 2027, which will fix the deficit over the next three years, he said.

Dimo Drenchev of Revival recalled that the agency raised the rating when the government was formed, because it judged that the political crisis was over. After seeing how the cabinet works, it changed the outlook from positive to stable, which means nothing changes, he said.