Asen Vassilev: Budget 2024 will be in line with the government program

"The law clearly states that the discussion of the budget must take place after the tax laws are adopted. According to the schedule, they are adopted in October. But because the parliament is not working for the whole month, the deadline is shifted. When the parliament adopts the tax laws, it will be possible to fix the revenue part of the budget, from there the deficit and everything else".

This was explained to the BNR by the Minister of Finance Asen Vassilev.

And he added that the budget for 2024 will be in line with the government program.

"2% of the budget balance is earmarked for defense spending, this is an obligation to NATO. GDP is growing significantly both this year and next. Next year's GDP will be over BGN 200 billion, of which BGN 4 billion will be for defense".

According to him, this year's revenues are expected to be fulfilled as promised, and if there is a default, it may be due to the second payment under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan. He predicts achieving the revenue part of the budget by the end of the year.

No Christmas supplements have been set for pensioners at the end of this year, the minister also noted.

Asen Vassilev pointed out that the best indicator of the country's financial health is the single account, which currently has 9 billion leva against a demand for 4.5 billion leva.

The government's expectations are that there will be no shock prices for oil, but with the proviso that due to the conflict in the Middle East, another situation is also possible.

In the program "Nedelya 150", the Minister of Finance commented that GERB is talking nonsense about the government, since they have nothing positive to say.

"We hear a pre-election talk... This year we have high wage growth, the deficit will be below 3%, we have over 9 billion BGN in the government's account. There is no reason to worry. Businesses are starting to appreciate this. All the gloomy prophecies that are spoken, they become only noise".

Relations in the ruling majority are difficult, he also pointed out.