Bulgaria's Draft Budget for 2025: 3% Deficit, State Debt Growth, and Key Tax Changes
The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance has unveiled the draft budget for 2025, alongside the updated medium-term fiscal forecast covering 2025 to 2028
According to the express estimates of the National Statistical Institute, during the fourth quarter of 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.6% compared to the same period of the previous year and by 0.5% compared to the third quarter of 2023, based on seasonally adjusted data.
According to this information, the GDP for the last four months of 2023 increased by 1.6% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, while gross value added increased by 0.2%. Final consumption recorded a growth of 3.1%, and gross fixed capital formation increased by 4.2%. Goods and services exports decreased by 1.0%, while goods and services imports decreased by 5.4%.
According to the express estimates of the National Statistical Institute for the fourth quarter of 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) in nominal terms reached 51,055.0 million leva. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the realized value added amounted to 44,444.9 million leva. Among the components of final usage, the largest share in gross domestic product is taken by final consumption - 81.7%, which amounts to 41,697.4 million leva in value. Gross capital formation in the last quarter of 2023 amounted to 10,132.5 million leva, constituting 19.8% of the total GDP. The trade balance is negative.
The economic prediction by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) is for an economic growth of 2.5%, while the European Commission is more skeptical, expecting a growth of 1.8%. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Ministry of Finance predict a more significant growth of 3.2%. It is expected that private consumption will remain the main engine of economic growth this year, although with a lower growth compared to previous years.
Thousands of Bulgarian consumers who invested in the British company BETL have reported that the company has stopped paying daily dividends and appears to have ceased its operations.
In recent weeks, there has been ongoing concern regarding the state's expenses for next year, with projections showing that costs far exceed available funds
The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has voiced strong opposition to a proposed 10% tax on banks' excess profits, citing concerns that it would destabilize the financial sector
Economist Rumen Galabinov has stated that Bulgaria's potential future membership in the Eurozone could significantly benefit the country's economy
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Bulgaria in the third quarter of 2024 grew by 2.4% compared to the same period in 2023
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has projected that Bulgaria will join the eurozone in 2026
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