Bulgaria's New Right Wing Blasts Budget Update

The recently-established Bulgarian right-wing Reformist Block held a special press conference Sunday. Photo by BTA

The actualization of State budget 2013 and the planned BGN 1 B loan have no sound economic grounds; will benefit only the mafia and the oligarchs and dangerously indebt the country.

The alarm was raised at a special press conference Sunday of the recently-established Reformist Block.

The State Budget 2013 update is going to be voted Monday at an emergency sitting of the Socialist-endorsed Cabinet of Prime Minister, Plamen Oresharski.

The new right-wing block includes Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, the Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, Bulgaria for Citizens of former European Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva, the Greens party, and the National Party Freedom and Dignity founded by Kasim Dal, the self-proclaimed top "dissident" from the predominantly ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, and Korman Ismailov, a former head of the youth organization of DPS.

According to the block, the fiscal reserve currently amounts to BGN 5.8 B, which is BGN 1.8 M above the minimum, while the government wants to take a new loan and slate half of it precisely for the reserve.

Dimitar Bachvarov from DSB said the above was an indication for backstage expenditures, a U-turn from the policy of strong fiscal discipline, serving particular interests and circles.

Martin Dimitrov, former UDF leader, noted that the budget update will trigger a hike in interest rates; cause mass bankruptcies and deepen the crisis.

The Reformist Block called on President, Rosen Plevneliev, to veto the budget update.

The right wing further insists that the promised 5% decrease of electric power prices on August 1 is going to be detrimental for the economy and will be beneficial only for the energy mafia in the country.

According to their experts, the government is trying to introduce a 12% "mafia tax," as under the methodology of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation, DKEVR, the decrease should not be 5%, but 17%, and the 12% will go to particular energy companies.

The new right wing reiterated they were not planning partnership with the formerly-ruling center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, of former PM, Boyko Borisov, because they have not shown they were ready to reform.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!