Bulgaria's 2026‑2027 budget faces sharp criticism over deficit and spending

Several senior officials have voiced concerns about Bulgaria’s upcoming state budget. Boryana Abadjieva, head of economic analysis at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, said the 2027 budget should include “more serious policies” and warned that sectors such as health, education and culture still receive funds without optimisation. Petar Ganev, chief economist at the Institute for Market Economy, called the 2026 budget a “politically understandable move” but stressed the need for bolder consolidation measures and cautioned that public‑debt could rise to 35 % of GDP, risking a trajectory similar to Romania’s. Lyubomir Karimanški of the Bulgarian National Bank Board criticised the high deficit, the 5 % public‑sector wage rise and mismatches between the spring macro‑forecast and the central bank’s outlook, urging a more daring spending plan and a review of the capital programme. National Bank governor Dimitar Radev echoed these worries, noting that the 2026 budget deepens a negative fiscal trend that began after 2020 and that the ongoing EU excess‑deficit procedure adds pressure for tighter spending and stronger revenue measures.

Collectively, the commentators highlight risks of mounting debt, the need for structural reforms, and the importance of aligning budget assumptions with realistic economic forecasts to preserve fiscal stability.