Bulgarian Socialists Suggest Spending Budget Savings on Maternity Benefits, Pensions

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will table a bill suggesting that the budget savings of BGN 700 M announced by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov should be spent on maternity leave benefits and pension increases.

BSP MP Maya Manolova, as cited by Mediapool, declared Monday that the proposal of the socialists was for an increase in maternity leave benefits from BGN 240 to BGN 310, which would cost the budget around BGN 29 M, and for an earlier entry into force of the pension increase (from January 1, rather than April 1, as planned), which would require around BGN 194 M.

Several days ago, Djankov boasted that Bulgaria had closed 2012 with a larger fiscal reserve than forecast, up by BGN 750 M from the target, which gave the opportunity for increased incomes in certain sectors.

In her Monday statement, Manolova noted that the measures proposed by BSP would cost the state budget a total of BGN 223 400 000.

"We suggest that a portion of this sum of BGN 700 M which Djankov saved from Bulgarian citizens be given to the people who need them most – young mothers and Bulgarian pensioners," Manolova added.

The socialist MP went on to say that BSP believed there was no other more important priority than people's earnings and since the center-right GERB government had repeatedly declared its support for increasing people's incomes, they could back a bill which would achieve a consensus and uphold Bulgarians' interests.