Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, escalated his criticism of Bulgarian media outlets receiving grants today, calling for the suspension of such funding. His comments followed his frustration with media reports suggesting there was an excess in the 2025 budget, as opposed to the deficit he and his party members had previously mentioned. Borissov also took the opportunity to highlight what he saw as an issue with media outlets receiving larger salaries than government ministers, a statement he made while speaking to reporters in the parliament.

During a discussion about the media’s financial support, Borissov emphasized that the grants given to certain media outlets far surpassed the funding allocated to political parties. He expressed his belief that these grants should be halted, questioning whose interests were being served. When asked about his knowledge of salaries within the media, Borissov claimed that he had been informed by journalists, including former bTV news chief Anton Hekimyan, now a GERB councilor in Sofia. He further implied that these media outlets received higher salaries than ministers, reinforcing his dissatisfaction.

At the same time, Borissov continued to argue that there was indeed a hole in the draft budget for 2025, despite some claims of excess. He referenced his extensive experience with budgeting, having contributed to the creation of nearly 20 budgets, including Sofia’s. His criticism also extended to Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova, who faced scrutiny after a report revealed discrepancies in the January budget forecast. However, Borissov minimized the significance of the error, referring to it as a "small mistake" and suggested it was the reason for the departure of Deputy Minister Lyudmila Petkova.

In addition to media-related matters, Borissov commented on recent appointments in the Zhelyazkov cabinet, stating that all decisions had been agreed upon with coalition partners. He explained that the prime minister had decided to move forward with appointments before the budget approval process was completed. Regarding the country's budget numbers, Borissov questioned the figures presented by Finance Minister Petkova and rejected the claims made by Asen Vassilev, pointing out that he was not convinced by the official explanations.

Borissov also defended his own role in the financial matters, mentioning how GERB had secured funding for military equipment from Denmark and other sources. When asked about the distribution of seats in regulators, he clarified that GERB, BSP, and TISP would bear the responsibility, given the majority held by their coalition, and that no external party support was needed for this.

Sources:

• Club Z
• OFFNews
• Darik News