The initiative to impose a presidential veto on the 2026 Budget is collecting signatures from citizens in hundreds of settlements in Bulgaria and in several cities around the world. According to information from the 'We Continue the Change' party, the total number of signatures collected to date has not been disclosed.
Geographical Scope of Support
Support for the request has been declared by residents of major Bulgarian regional cities, including Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Blagoevgrad, Vidin, Vratsa, Haskovo, Shumen, Yambol, Sliven, Dobrich, Kardzhali, Pernik, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Kyustendil, as well as from dozens of other municipalities and settlements in the country.
The initiative has also received support from Bulgarian citizens residing in a number of countries around the world. Among the mentioned cities are London, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Vienna, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Prague, Dublin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Chicago, Washington, Dubai, and Sydney.
Reasons for the Petition
'We Continue the Change' defines the wide geographical scope of the signatures as a sign of public support for the veto request. The main criticism of the 2026 state budget draft is that it does not place sufficient emphasis on people, education, and skills development. Instead, the draft provides for changes in a number of fees, insurance thresholds, and revenue collection mechanisms.
Constitutional Procedures
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At the moment, it is unknown whether the signatures have been submitted to the presidency. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the President has the right to a suspensive veto, which returns the adopted law to the National Assembly for new discussion. The procedure includes a 15-day period for returning the law. Parliament can override the veto by voting on the law again with the same majority or the majority required by the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria.