The budget deficit ballooned to almost BGN 800 million

The budget deficit in September rose to BGN 780 million, according to preliminary data from the Finance Ministry. This means that in just one month, the state spent about 700 million leva more than it took in.

According to the ministry's figures, published with a delay of several days, the widening deficit was mainly due to larger one-off payments in September. These include interest payments on the national debt of about BGN 300 million and payments to farmers of also about BGN 300 million — the money the government used to "buy" the crackdown on farmers' protests.

The deficit is still far from the budgeted 4.6 billion leva, suggesting that the last months of the year will traditionally see the biggest spending.

In the remaining months until the end of the year, the budget balance is expected to reach the planned deficit," the ministry stressed.

Total revenues in September reached 47.6 billion leva, about 69% of the budget estimate. Tax revenues increased by almost 10%, or BGN 3.4 billion, compared with the same period last year. Non-tax revenues and revenues from donations and EU funds fell by about BGN 700 million.

Expenditure in September reached BGN 48.4 billion, an increase of 10% compared to the same period last year, mainly due to pension expenditure. Its implementation is slower than that of revenues and amounts to 65% of the budgeted amount.

The share of the Republic of Bulgaria's contribution to the EU budget paid by the central budget at the end of September amounted to BGN 1.25 billion, which is in line with the current EU own resources legislation.