Bulgaria: Caretaker Cabinet Approves Amendments to Budget Extension Law

At a session of the Council of Ministers, the government approved a draft law amending and supplementing the existing budget extension legislation, the acting Minister of Finance Georgi Klisurski announced.

If ratified by the National Assembly, the amendments will extend the law’s validity not until March 31, as previously scheduled, but until the adoption of the full state budget for 2026. The measure aims to ensure continuity in state operations and avoid disruption in public administration.

Minister Klisurski also confirmed that, following the Prime Minister’s directive, a detailed review of all public procurement activities across ministries will commence. This will include an assessment of completed contracts, upcoming payments, and advance disbursements already executed.

“All relevant data has been gathered, and a comprehensive analysis is underway. The objective is to safeguard the public interest, maintain competitive fairness, and ensure that every euro of taxpayers’ money is used appropriately,” Klisurski said.

He highlighted one major case: a public procurement contract valued at 500 million euros for the supply and maintenance of new guardrails on Bulgaria’s republican road network, handled by the Road Infrastructure Agency. The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works has initiated an audit, citing concerns about possible irregularities in the selection process of contractors and potential pricing above the initially estimated contract values.

The Ministry pledged to release additional findings as the review progresses, maintaining transparency for the public and oversight of state expenditures.