The deputies adopted the laws on the budgets of the social security and health insurance funds on first reading. The increase in pensions will be according to the Swiss rule and from July they will increase by 8.6 percent. The debates are continuing at the moment, as the state budget is also about to be voted on, BNT reports.
148 deputies supported the social security budget. 151 voted for the NHIF budget - "for", 71 "against", and 1 abstained.
The voting on the budget laws began with a seven-hour delay, due to the consideration of two draft laws before that and numerous breaks. In seven hours, the deputies managed to adopt only the budgets of the social security and the health fund, although the vote is at first reading, that is, there is no vote article by article.
The law on state social security provides, in addition to an increase in pensions from July, also an increase in the minimum social security income to 1077 leva and the maximum to 4130 leva. The budget is a record - 27 billion leva.
The estimated money for the health fund is 9.47 billion leva or 1.3 billion more than the amount set aside last year.
The two budgets were defended in the plenary hall by the relevant ministers. The main criticisms that the texts received are that there are no reforms that would improve both the state of the pension system and the health system.
"The average pension will reach 975 leva, which is an increase of over 10% compared to 24 years ago, the social old-age pension and related pensions and supplements will also increase by 8.6%. I say again, is it enough - no, it is not enough. We need more, but we must still be realistic when considering this financial situation in which the country is and what is possible and permissible. But certainly not a single program will suffer in this budget. Not a single Bulgarian citizen who needs it and who already has social benefits will suffer," explained the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov.
Currently, the deputies continue with the consideration of the first reading of the State Budget Act for 2025. It foresees a record level of expenditure and revenue, respectively nearly 97 billion and over 90 billion. The set deficit is 6.4 billion leva or 3% of GDP.
The maximum amount of debt amounts to 61.7 billion leva, with the amount of new debt in 2025 alone being 18.9 billion.