Budget Commission in Parliament triggers low party subsides
The parliamentary commission on budget and finance voted at first reading Thursday amendment to the State Budget Act of 2019. The amendment provides a change in the state subsides for political parties - from 11.00 NBG to 1.00 NBG - for each real election vote given to them.
That surprising idea was annouced by PM Boyko Borissov Thursday morning in the cubes of parliament. The proposal by the GERB leader was immediately discussed and put to vote in the budget commission. Members of the commission approved the amendment by 11 to 1.
The only NAY came from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms /MRF-predominantely Turk party/ which stands hard against the decrease of parties' money from the state. Position of their parliamentary faction is to choose between financing by the state and sponsored by oligarchs.
"There was no third way except lie to society", Yordan Tsonev, representative for MRF in the commission, said. He determined the proposal as "populist" and expressed his concern that Bulgarian democracy might pay the high price of it because political parties might become economically dependent.
MPs from BSP for Bulgaria - the main opposition group, abstained from voting.
