We have a draft budget that both unions and employers are unhappy with... What else does the budget bring us? And is the “Zhelyazkov“ cabinet stable, or is this just an illusion… Cornelia Ninova, leader of "Unruly Bulgaria", speaks in front of FACT.
- Ms. Ninova, how much is 18.3 billion leva… The government has withdrawn so much money as debt since the beginning of its mandate, as the budget states that the amount could reach 19 billion leva. Is this how the budget will be made in the future - with debt?
- The debt issue is becoming very dangerous for the state and for each of us. According to the BNB, Bulgaria's gross external debt increased on an annual basis to 53.606 billion euros at the end of August. This is 47.7% of GDP. And the bad thing is that no one knows where this money went. Now I have asked the Council of Ministers a question under the Access to Public Information Act, in which I want them to answer me what all these billions were spent on. Otherwise, there are two ways to make a budget. The first is to use it to stimulate the economy, industry, and have it fill your treasury. To have a high revenue share and redistribute it fairly through the expenditure for healthcare, education, income, ecology, etc. This option requires intelligence and perspective thinking.
The second way of budgeting is done without intelligence and for theft.
With it, you take out loans to temporarily survive in power. You don't think about the future of children and you bury the economy, which has to pay off the debt. The government chose the second option because they are incapable of anything constructive. When I was Minister of Economy, my team and I chose the first option. We supported small and medium-sized businesses. We achieved first place in Europe in industrial production. We redistributed 22 billion leva through the budget for social policy and ended up with a deficit of less than 3%. In other words, we achieved a three-in-one effect.
- Individual parameters of the 2026 Budget are already being commented on. What do you see in it?
- I see a danger of excessive deficit, a threat of economic collapse, impoverishment and growing inequalities. By increasing social security contributions, the 2026 budget hits businesses, small businesses, the middle class and workers - all those who produce GDP. Money will be poured into the existing systems with vices without any change - in healthcare, which is a system of commercial companies, in education, where money follows the student, in agriculture, which does not develop Bulgarian livestock and vegetable production.
There are no measures to stimulate Bulgarian, domestic production and Bulgarian clean food.
New debts will accumulate for 3 generations to come. The water problem is a primary issue, but I did not hear that this is a priority in the budget. I read the budgets of Italy, Spain, Croatia and Greece. They are introducing tax and social security benefits for small businesses and families. And here we need to do something: exempt companies that reinvest profits in production and jobs from tax. Increase tax benefits for working parents with children, etc. The rulers are doing exactly the opposite. In principle, we are short-lived and in a hurry to steal, and then a flood follows us.
- We heard Boyko Borisov say: “We give a billion more to pensioners to look nice, to be cool“. Who are the nice and cool people in government …
- There are none. How can you be cool when you rigged the elections? You are a criminal! The Constitutional Court has ruled. The elections were manipulated. These people are staying there illegally. They also elected an illegal government. How can you be nice after you lied to your voters that you will never be with GERB and “New Beginning“, and your first job is to cuddle with them. As for the specific issue of pensioners. Let them hear me.
Don't get caught up in their boasting that there will be a Swiss rule. They are obliged to implement it.
It is written in the law. What's worse is that the increase under it of 8.6% has long been eaten. According to the NSI, food alone has become more expensive by 20%. The real solution is to recalculate pensions with a new average social security income. The same applies to the minimum wage. The BSP brags about what a victory they achieved. What a victory, it is written in the Labor Code to be 50% of the average.
Since when is the implementation of the law heroism?
And its increase has already been melted by inflation.
- We saw a photo of Boyko Borisov and Delyan Peevski together. Is this how a 20-year friendship is formalized (ed. - Borisov's words)?
- This is not friendship, but dependence. This is how Borisov's final capitulation to Peevski is formalized.
- The cabinet went through a crisis after the elections in Pazardzhik, the parliament is not working, Borisov got angry... Now who has what role in the ruling coalition?
- Peevski orders. Borisov listens and carries it out. BSP and ITN squat on the sidelines of the table and wait for these two to throw them some knuckleheads. The opposition in parliament attacks and fights among themselves, instead of against the ruling party. The alternative is among the citizens, in an extra-parliamentary opposition. In awakening true popular anger. The ruling party only gives in to this threat.
I tell the people: fight, these people are cowards.
They only act like babaites if we keep quiet. Look how quickly they gave in to the water meter fee and the homemade brandy when they saw our reaction. They constantly test us to see if we are completely asleep. We are not and we must constantly show them that.
- Borisov demanded a rotation of the speaker of parliament, the National Council of the BSP met and decided to accept a rotation. Thus, Natalia Kiselova was replaced by Raya Nazaryan. Borisov wants, BSP accepts – is this part of “… in the name of the country's stability“?
- Nooooo, this is in the name of personal chairs and wallets.
The betrayal, clientelism, lack of morality and the complete absence of human dignity in the BSP leadership remain stable.
Every day they give us evidence of this.
- “DPS - New Beginning“ does not want ministers and posts, but they will now participate in the Joint Management Council without the right to vote. Will it be so?
- I wonder if they think the Bulgarian people are so ignorant. With such statements they insult even the intelligence of a first grader. Everyone understands that without the votes of the DPS, nothing happens. They save the cabinet from no-confidence votes. They vote on budgets. They change regulators. They don't officially have ministers, but they hold the entire government in their hands.
- Can the BSP and the ITN say “no“ on any topic that is being discussed in the Council of Ministers…
- No, of course. They are not interested in the topics. They are interested in the government lasting longer, because they know that this is their last time in parliament.
- The topic of “Lukoil“ probably surprised everyone after the US imposed sanctions. Will we have fuel after the New Year?
- If we listen to the Minister of Energy - no. He said that we only have reserves until the New Year. They should have asked for his head just for that. This person doesn't even know that the law obliges him to store and control reserves for 90 days. So far, they have had to request an exception for us a hundred times. They don't even dare to do that. Can you imagine asking the US if they can request an exception and what the procedure is?
Illiterate and cowardly.
The rulers are a greater threat to national security than the sanctions themselves. Our salvation lies in their swift removal, the introduction of order, rules, security and justice.