After almost 13 hours of deliberation, the National Assembly approved article 1 of the draft state budget for 2022 – the statement of revenue and expenditure or the so-called budgetary framework, which sets down a deficit of EUR 2.8 billion, and an option for a new debt of EUR 3.7 billion.

The debate was heated after, with the votes of the opposition, parliament voted EUR 6 million of direct financing for museums, instead of the text of the Committee on Budget and Finance for funding through projects.

Petar Chobanov from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms warned that in the budgetary framework voted, the option still exists for some of the money to be distributed by a Council of Ministers’ decision instead of by parliamentary approval.

The parliamentary debate on the draft state budget continues.