Bulgaria's Parliament adopted state budget

Bulgaria's National Assembly has finally adopted the state budget after a 21-hour-long parliamentary sitting, which ended on Friday morning. The budget has been prepared on the basis of macroeconomic indicators of 1.8% economic growth and 8.7% average annual inflation. Yesterday, however, the Bulgarian National Bank lowered its forecast for GDP growth to 1%.

"The budget is within the initially set parameters - with a 3% deficit, with a serious capital program, with a redistribution of part of the capital expenses to additional payment in the amount of about 150 million EUR," Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev said. According to him, the fiscal measures have largely been preserved in order to collect the revenues.

The salaries of employees in companies with a staff of over one hundred people are now required to be transferred by bank, the MPs have decided.

The Ministry of the Interior, the State Agency for National Security, the National Social Security Institute and other ministries and departments will receive funds for raising the salaries of their employees. Additional funds have also been provided for the BNR – about 750,000 euro more than what was previously proposed by the Ministry of Finance.