Asen Vasilev calculated a lower budget deficit for 2023 and one billion BGN in readiness for municipal projects

Preliminary data on the implementation of the budget show that the deficit will be lower than planned, said the Minister of Finance Asen Vasilev after a meeting in the National Assembly with the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy Boyko Borisov. "I expect the deficit to be 2.5%, not 3%. This will leave BGN 1 billion, which we can use this year to help ourselves for next year's municipal projects," he added.

"We have 1 billion with which to help ourselves for next year's municipal projects and a deficit of 2.5%, which disproves all the dark scenarios that the state will go bankrupt," the finance minister also said, quoted by BTA.

According to Vasilev, these data give reason from the point of view of the eurozone to say that the deficit criterion is fully covered this year. You know that as the budget for next year is planned, also within the framework of the Maastricht criterion and from this point of view we have no problems and the only thing that remains is the criterion for inflation, Vasilev explained. He added that, to a large extent, inflation is an import in Bulgaria and comes along the lines of food and energy sources. According to Asen Vasilev, in June-July next year, our country is expected to meet this criterion as well, since prices are decreasing, and thus we can safely enter the Eurozone.

According to Asen Vasilev, the news that the door to Schengen is opening is good news. He added that the full effect for the Bulgarian economy will not be achieved until the land borders are opened. "And that is why it is very important for our Austrian partners to be aware that Bulgaria will pursue this goal extremely persistently and extremely firmly until this happens, as this is a real growth for the Bulgarian economy and a relief for all Bulgarian companies and for all European companies," Vasilev also said.