01.12.2022

An expert mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by Jean-François Dauphin is visiting Bulgaria from 30 November to 6 December. During the introductory meeting, Minister of Finance Rositza Velkova presented to the IMF team the implementation of the budget for the current year. In the course of the meeting, she explained the reasons and arguments for the government’s decision to submit to the National Assembly a draft budget extension law which was adopted yesterday at first voting in the National Assembly, and further explained the parliamentary procedure and deadlines for its final adoption.

Minister Velkova familiarized Jean-François Dauphin and the experts with the progress in our country’s technical preparation for joining the euro area and confirmed the intention of the Bulgarian government our country to become its member as from the beginning of 2024. The discussion also focused on the first payment under the Recovery and Resilience Plan due in the coming weeks, as well as on the conditions that should be met for the next two payments.

During their visit, the IMF experts will meet with representatives of the Bulgarian institutions and organisations to discuss the current macroeconomic developments and the ongoing economic situation. The discussions will also cover the economic implications of the war in Ukraine, as well as the appropriate fiscal and energy policies to preserve macroeconomic stability.