Bulgarian 'Blue' Right to Clash with GERB Cabinet over Budget

The Blue Coalition's co-leader Martin Dimitrov is shown discussing the prices of natural gas at a press-conference earlier this week. Photo by BGNES.

Martin Dimitrov, co-leader of the Bulgarian center-right Blue Coalition, which has given important support to the center-right GERB cabinet, voiced again forceful criticisms at recent measures for budget revision proposed by the government.

Dimitrov, speaking in an interview for Bulgarian National Television said that the Blue Coalition would support the budget revision bill at its second reading in Parliament only if some demands are met and the bill is modified accordingly.

Dimitrov was especially vocal regarding previewed spending and requested that the budget deficit be reduced to 3%.

He gave the example of other European countries slashing their spending, while arguing that with the proposed budget revision the Bulgarian government actually increases expenses.

Dimitrov was also critical on the structure of the proposed cuts, arguing that there should be no shrinking in spending for medical care, whereas strongly advising to decrease the budget for the Ministry of Interior. The latter has been one of the most hotly debated cases, provoking arguments between GERB deputy PMs Tsvetan Tsvetanov (minister of interior) and Simeon Djankov (minister of finance).

Dimitrov went as far as to preview that Bulgaria “is heading to the bad scenario of Greece and Romania” with current economic and fiscal trends.

The support of the Blue Coalition has been important to the GERB government, since GERB is 3 votes short of majority in Parliament. The other supporter of the cabinet has been the nationalist rightist Ataka party, whose leader Volen Siderov formulated a fundamental disagreement with GERB's approach to the economic crisis in Parliament earlier this spring, yet is expected to support the budget revision.

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