Prime Minister Rumen Radev
During parliamentary scrutiny, Prime Minister Rumen Radev defended the government’s draft budget, arguing that the current fiscal deficit is the consequence of policy decisions made in previous years rather than recent actions by his cabinet. He said the administration is attempting to reduce the gap where possible, but acknowledged that the task remains extremely difficult.
Radev told lawmakers that the government is prepared to pursue what he called “rational solutions” in order to limit the deficit and restore financial discipline. Responding to questions from GERB MP and former finance minister Temenuzhka Petkova, he insisted that the current fiscal situation reflects accumulated decisions by earlier governments and parliament rather than newly introduced policies.
According to the prime minister, recent years of financial management have been marked by what he described as a lack of responsibility toward public finances and the country’s long-term stability. He argued that the deficit was not artificially created by the current finance ministry, but is instead the result of “inadequate actions” over multiple budget cycles. He also noted that the draft budget for 2026 is intended to stop the practice of shifting unpaid obligations into future years.
