The parliamentary committee responsible for budget matters approved an extension of the State Budget Law for the upcoming three months. The decision passed with 13 votes in favor, four against, and one abstention. This temporary measure ensures the continuity of state payments while the National Assembly prepares for a regular budget for 2026.

Trade unions voiced concerns that employees in the budget sector would not receive salary increases under the extension law, urging the adoption of the second version of the 2026 budget instead. Plamen Dimitrov, president of the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions, emphasized that around 500,000 government-paid citizens, and their families, totaling roughly one million people, would be directly affected by the extension, stressing the need for clarity on the law’s impact before the elections. Dimitar Manolov, head of the Podkrepa Confederation, called the situation critical, insisting that action must be taken promptly to avoid further complications.

Representatives of political parties also expressed differing views. Delyan Dobrev, chairman of the National Assembly’s Budget Committee from GERB, underlined the need for unanimity to advance the budget discussion in the chamber, asking protest representatives Asen Vassilev and Plamen Dimitrov whether they would back the 2026 budget. Vassilev from WCC-DB reiterated his opposition, noting that the budget was linked to a fiscal structural plan notified to Brussels, which foresees increases in taxes and social security contributions in 2027-2028, contradicting their policy stance.

Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova addressed the debate directly, noting that accusations about tax increases were misleading and referenced Council of Ministers Decision No. 783 of November 6, 2023, as part of the fiscal framework. She highlighted that the extension law itself does not permit salary or pension increases beyond the limits set by the Public Finance Law, which allows spending only up to the level of collected revenues for the same month in the previous year.

The extension law ensures the state can continue its financial obligations for the next quarter, but without the possibility of increasing salaries or pensions. Opposition deputies criticized this limitation, arguing it leaves citizens without expected increases. The law’s temporary nature means that if a regular 2026 budget is not passed within three months, another extension will be necessary to maintain state operations.