We will support Assen Vassilev's proposal, realizing all the risks it entails. This was stated by the outgoing Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova regarding the idea of the leader of "We Continue the Change" to index wages once with the annual amount of accumulated inflation as of December 31, 2025., Dariknews.bg reports.
Earlier, Vassilev pointed out that the government's proposed extension budget provides for an increase from January 1, 2026, of the minimum wage to 620 euros, and a government decree has also raised the poverty line on which social payments depend. "We propose that for all those who are not on the MRP, there should be a one-time indexation in the amount of the annual inflation accumulated as of December 31 - this is completely within the budget's capabilities, because revenues grow with the growth of the economy plus the growth of inflation, so there will be no worries about covering these expenses", said Vassilev and specified that the data of the National Statistical Institute on inflation for 2025 is yet to be seen, but as of today, according to him, it is around 5%.
"This man, who ruined Bulgaria's finances and led to the collapse of our country's financial system, drained all buffers during the time he was minister, and is now trying, violating the law on public finances, to make a proposal for implementing an income policy through the so-called extension law. This is illegal and contradicts financial logic. He realized what he had done in recent days, realized and was afraid of the social discontent, which in all likelihood will happen, since with his actions he deprived citizens of an increase in their salaries by 10 percent - such an income policy as we had defined in the draft of the State Budget Act for 2026. He was afraid of mothers who would not receive an increase in maternity leave for raising their child for the second year, he was afraid of people in disadvantaged situations who would not receive their social benefits in the amounts that were determined, and it is simply this fear of the most affected category in Bulgarian society that makes him make such a proposal," said the outgoing Minister Temenuzhka Petkova.
She expressed hope that the Revenue Agencies would continue their good work so that the salaries subject to the one-time indexations could be provided.
Denitsa Sacheva pointed out that the budget was balanced, but now it is not may not support a proposal to increase salaries, despite the risks. "Assen Vassilev is putting on a show, but I urge us to think about what is happening to the people we are playing with. He is an absolute charlatan, has no place in Bulgarian politics, should not touch finances. We had an agreement that there would be no proposals between budget readings. And indexations are a populist idea that is illegal", believes Sacheva.
The chairman of the PG of "There is such a people" Toshko Yordanov explained that an increase in expenses is being requested without any income. "The extended budget means that we are working with what is earned. This will certainly cause problems. Assen Vassilev should drink his bitter cup to the bottom. We will support his illegal proposal, we will involve the state in expenses that it has nowhere to cover. When this topic comes up in January, go to Vassilev. He has fallen into wild populism and election campaigning. He should bear responsibility", Yordanov added.