The MPs approved, at first reading, the update of the state budget. As of 1 July a differentiated VAT rate is being put in place – for bread VAT will be zero, for natural gas supplies – 9% instead of the current 20%. VAT on wine and beer served at bars and restaurants will be 20%, up from 9%, a reduction that was introduced during the pandemic. Pensions are to go up as well.
The budget is calculated at an economic growth of 2.9% and an annual inflation rate of 11.9%, even though, according to the National Statistical Institute, annual inflation now stands at over 15%.
The most heated debates in plenary were over the increase in the debt limit to EUR 5.1 billion. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev gave as the reason for this the need to revolve old government debts.
Housing loans in Bulgaria increased by 24.8% year-on-year, reaching BGN 22.3 billion (EUR 11.4 billion) by the end of June 2024, according to the BGNES news agency. Consumer loans also rose by 14% year-on-year compared to June 2023, reaching BGN..
Bulgaria’s real GDP growth is expected to stand at 2.1% in 2024, indicates the macroeconomic forecast of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) in June. Bulgaria’s real GDP growth is expected to stand at 2.1 per cent in 2024, driven by the positive..
The caretaker government has instructed Deputy PM and Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova to submit, by 11 September, a proposal for amending the REpowerEU chapters of the recovery and resilience plan. This is being done so as to make the..
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