The draft State Budget Act for 2025 does not include funds for the acquisition of a new government plane and one will not be purchased.
This was stated by the Ministry of Finance in a press release regarding the words of the co-chairman of "Continue the Change" (PP) and former Finance Minister Assen Vassilev.
In the program "Panorama" on BNT, Vassilev criticized the budget for 2025, saying that 209 million leva were earmarked for a new government plane and 88 million leva for a government helicopter.
The Ministry of Finance insists that this statement is "categorical manipulation", news.bg specified.
On the recommendation of the State Aviation Operator, the reserve list of projects under Appendix No. 2, Section I, to Art. 110, para. 1 (Program for Priority Strategic Investment Projects with National Financing for the Period 2025-2028) includes the need to acquire a new government aircraft for the purpose of flight safety, as was also recommended for the state helicopter.
We will not support the budget proposed by the Zhelyazkov cabinet. It is scandalous. In many ways, it is worse than that of the caretaker cabinet. This was stated by Vassilev on February 19.
Investing in people is being stopped. The scissors of inequalities are being opened again. The budget was made to explode the situation, he believes. According to him, the budget was designed so that we would not enter the eurozone. According to him, on paper a 3% deficit was achieved, but the real one is larger. He pointed out that a huge capital program has been set. Vassilev added that spending with our own funds has been reduced to 40% of GDP, but with the inclusion of European funds, this percentage increases.
He criticizes the freezing of the minimum wage and maternity. He also does not support the elimination of the indexation of pensions under the Swiss rule. He emphasized that at the same time, the salaries of employees in the Ministry of Internal Affairs have not been touched.
According to him, there is a risk to Bulgaria's admission to the eurozone. According to him, Brussels can read the numbers. However, he hopes that our country will submit a request for an extraordinary convergence report. The MP is optimistic that the deficit can be reduced by changing the formula by which salaries in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are calculated.