„We Continue the Change“ submits to the National Assembly a series of proposals for changes to the State Budget Act for 2025 between the first and second readings, aimed at preventing opportunities for corrupt practices and opaque spending of public resources, supporting young families, measures for business and improving the quality of healthcare.
Here are the measures:
1. Preventing opaque spending of public resources:
- Limiting the state debt: Reducing the limit for assuming state debt by 7 billion leva - from 18.9 billion leva to 11.9 billion leva. This will ensure funds to cover the deficit and payments on old debt. At the same time, the possibility of non-transparent spending of 7 billion leva by pouring them into state-owned companies and the Bulgarian Development Bank will be prevented.
- Transparent spending of capital funds: Repeal of Art. 111, which allows capital expenditure funds not used by September 30 to be transferred to current repairs and spent non-transparently for construction companies approached by decrees of the Council of Ministers.
- Designation of specific activities to be financed from the central budget – The goal is to spend the funds from the central budget transparently and to guarantee the funds in the budget law for activities such as scientific research, the “Stambolov“ fund, compensations for children not accepted into kindergartens, the sports and arts program in schools, in vitro fertilization, reproductive health screening, cultural expenses.
· Introduction of public procurement for private hospitals when they use public resources in order to reduce the NHIF's spending on medicines.
2. Supporting young families:
- Increase in the tax credit for children:
- From 600 to 900 BGN for the first child.
- From 1200 to 1800 BGN for the second child.
- From 1800 to 2700 BGN. for the third and more children.
- From 1200 to 1800 BGN for children with disabilities.
- 100% maternity pay for the first two years, even when returning to work.
- 3-year program for the construction of new kindergartens and nurseries:
- 150 million BGN for kindergartens in Sofia.
- 300 million BGN for nurseries in Sofia.
. Expanding the scope of students who receive one-time assistance, including for grades 5, 6 and 7
3. Measures for business:
· Maintaining the threshold for VAT registration at 166 thousand BGN, which will reduce the administrative burden for small businesses, and at the same time, the reduction in the threshold to BGN 100 thousand provided for in the budget will not lead to an increase in VAT revenues.
· Relief for sick leave: Reduction of days paid by the employer from 2 to 1 day.
· Increase in food vouchers: From BGN 200 to 300 per month, which will reduce the tax burden for businesses.
· Increase in daily unemployment benefit by the percentage of increase in the maximum insured income
4. Strengthening prevention and prophylaxis in healthcare:
· Free medicines and medicines with reduced co-payments: In 2024, free medicines and medicines with reduced co-payments for cardiovascular diseases were introduced. We are submitting a proposal in 2025 to expand this measure to cover medicines for pulmonary and neurological diseases.
· Free prescription medicines for children up to 7 years of age.
· Additional funds for medical devices for diabetes.
· Increase by 20 million BGN in the budget for general practitioners for prevention.
· Increase by 22 million BGN in the funds for remuneration of medical specialists in regional and municipal hospitals.
5. Changes in the national capital program, described in Appendix 2
The goal is to include projects related to overcoming the water crisis and eliminating the purchase of a government airplane and helicopter.
The measures in the field of healthcare and insurance are self-financing (the costs of implementing the measures are fully covered by the revenues they generate or by a reduction in other costs). The measures for young families are financed by reduced personnel costs in the Ministry of Interior as a result of a correct calculation of the increase in salaries in the Ministry of Interior. According to NSI data, the average salary without additional remuneration is 1790 BGN, not 2296 BGN, on which amount the increase in the Ministry of Interior is currently estimated. As a result of the correct recalculation, the total personnel costs in the Ministry of Interior will increase by 20% and a resource of 600 million BGN will be released. Of these, 255 million BGN will be used to cover costs under the proposed measures and the deficit will be reduced by 345 million.
With these measures from “Continuing the Change“ they explained that they aim to ensure sustainable development, support for young families, relief for businesses and better quality healthcare in Bulgaria, while at the same time taking on less debt and reducing the deficit.