Compromise Sought for the 2026 Budget: Negotiations Continue

Negotiations for the 2026 budget between the ruling parties, trade unions, and employers continue after the draft was postponed. Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova announced that the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, with the aim of reaching a compromise.

The main highlights of the discussions are on:

• A balanced solution satisfying all parties.
• Preserving the incomes of workers and the competitiveness of businesses.
• Sustainability of the social security system.
• Preventing the detriment of the public sector.

Over 20 measures are being discussed to achieve the goals, and the Ministry of Finance is expected to cost them. In addition, issues related to salaries in certain sectors of the administration, as well as payments linked to the minimum and average wage, are being discussed.

Employers are calling for a change in the automatic mechanisms for determining wages, while trade unions are fighting for an increase in incomes. The issues around the dividend tax remain unresolved, as a balance is sought between the interests of all parties.