MPs approved cutting state subsidies for political parties to BGN 1

Bulgaria’s Parliament on July 4 gave a final approval to reduce the subsidiy for political parties from BGN 11 to 1 for a vote actually received, accepting the proposal submitted by the Council of Ministers.

MPs rejected the draft of the Movement for Rigths and Freedoms (MRF), which suggested the state subidies for political parties scrapped and the legalisation of financing for political parties by individuals and legal entities.

The IMRO's proposal was also not accepted. It suggested instead of payment per vote from the most recent parliamentary elections, the payment to be paid annually to the parliamentarily represented parties at the amount of BGN 1.5 million, with which they could participate in elections, for campaigning materials, TV video clips and support of the structures.

The socialists accused the ruling that the bill is populist and will open the oligarchs' doors to party decisions. GERB responded that the BSP had abdicated from the debates after not submitting a proposal on how to fund the parties.

The issue of the subsidies was raised several weeks ago when it emerged that state subsidies for political parties and coalitions had been overpaid to the amount of many millions of BGN.

It emerged that instead of receiving money for actual votes, the parties had so far received money from the Treasury even for reallocated votes after the election. Thus, instead of the legal subsidy of BGN 11, the parties received more than BGN 13 per vote.

Bulgaria’s Parliament on June 14 approved at second reading the amendments to the Political Parties Act, according to which the parties and coalitions that have been overpaid state subsidies to return the excess.