If we had the euro today, inflation would be lower and interest rates would be lower. This is what the Prime Minister Academician Nikolay Denkov said in the program “More of the Day” on BNT.
“Exchanging the leva for the euro is what will stabilize people’s incomes. Because the euro is a stable currency that leads to lower interest rates than the leva at the moment”explained the prime minister.
In his words, inflation in the euro zone, as well as interest rates in the euro zone, are about twice lower than they are in Bulgaria.
“It is very important to stop living with any illusions, but to try to see what the real historical facts show. The big currencies – the dollar, the euro, they are more stable in this regard, because there is a large volume that stabilizes the currency”Nikolay Denkov pointed out.
The prime minister also pointed out that it is important that incomes grow faster than inflation.
“The thesis that prices will not rise in principle is absolutely wrong. Prices are rising, there is inflation”, the Prime Minister commented on people’s fears that with the introduction of the euro, prices will also rise. According to him, the important thing is that incomes grow faster than inflation.
“What we need to do is firstly have a market economy, no monopoly and secondly raise people’s incomes. That’s what we did with this budget, we will do with the next budget”Denkov said.
“Until now, we have proven with the Minister of Finance Asen Vasilev that we know how to collect revenues and how to increase people’s incomes. We have shown it with several budgets, we will do it with Budget 2024 as well”the prime minister said.
In Budget 2024, a disaster prevention fund will be set aside
On the Day of National Mourning in memory of the victims of the floods in Tsarevo, the Prime Minister indicated that a disaster prevention fund will be included in the 2024 Budget.
Earlier on Friday, the prime minister indicated that in the long term the creation of a multi-year national program to finance disaster prevention projects is being discussed. He announced this news at a meeting with regional governors in the country.
Denkov added to BNT that the prosecutor’s office must determine the blame for the tragedy in Tsarevo.
“I want to gather clear information about what happened and why it came to that. The blame will be determined by the prosecutor’s office. In the other places where there are problems with bridges and blocked riverbeds, what can we do now so that we don’t have such cases”said the Prime Minister.
“I don’t know Alexey Petrov, I don’t know Vasil Bozhkov”
“I don’t know Alexey Petrov, I don’t know Vasil Bozhkov, I have a program to fulfill, if someone, somewhere will be shaken and there will be shocks, that is beyond me,” Academician Nikolay Denkov also said in response to a question about whether he was worried , that all the talk about the role of Alexei Petrov in the creation of the government can shift the layers.
“I don’t care. If there is such a shift, it’s not up to me”Denkov also said.
The Prime Minister added that there are no mentors.
“No one whispers in my ear. When there is something to be discussed, I discuss it with Kiril Petkov or Asen Vassilev and with the colleagues from the relevant parliamentary groups, these are the people I contact”.
Companies with projects from the Recovery Plan are ranked by independent evaluators
Regarding the information circulated during the week in various media that companies associated with “We continue the change” have earned millions under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, Denkov rejected these claims. As Mediapool wrote, over BGN 34 million will be awarded to 12 innovative companies under the Recovery Plan.
“These are not companies associated with continuing the change. These are companies that applied for European projects. In these European programs and projects there are independent evaluators who have nothing to do with Bulgaria. It is forbidden to use evaluators there who are connected to the state “Denkov said.
He pointed out that the companies applied in 2021 and currently Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev are not participating in them.
“What do you want? Let’s ban anyone who had anything to do with Kiril Petkov from ever receiving European funding. Is that how you envision it? It is legal and fair to apply according to the rules and be assessed by independent assessors. When you get a certificate that you can get funds, none of the people involved in politics today should get money. Yes, Kiril Petkov should not receive, Asen Vassilev should not receive. Those in power should not receive. But to expect everyone who was somehow around them to never take part in European projects is neither legal nor moral.”Denkov summarized.
The prime minister confirmed Mediapool’s information from a few weeks ago that 1.3-1.4 billion euros under the Recovery and Development Plan are at risk of loss.
The most funds at risk are from the Just Transition Fund – 826 million euros. They are related to the territorial plans for the three coal regions of Stara Zagora, Pernik and Kyustendil.
