Former finance minister and current “We Continue the Change” (PP) leader Asen Vassilev sharply criticized Bulgaria’s draft Budget 2026, calling it fundamentally misleading, legally questionable, and economically harmful. He argued that the fiscal plan contradicts the Public Finance Act and is based on what he described as an artificially constructed budget gap used to justify large-scale spending decisions.
Vassilev claimed the budget narrative about a fiscal “hole” is being used to legitimize around 3.5 billion euros in allocations to companies in construction and energy. He suggested that any legal obstacles would likely be bypassed through derogations, but warned that the political consequences would be severe. “It is politically absolutely suicidal, I do not understand why they got themselves into this ugly situation,” he said.
According to him, the structure of the budget shows a freeze on social payments and minimum wage levels, while significantly increasing administrative and capital expenditures. He argued that state administration costs such as utilities, repairs, vehicles, and other operational spending are set to rise by around 1.5 billion euros, or roughly 35 percent, which he described as equivalent to about 1 percent of GDP.