The Parliament is scheduled to resume its discussion on the proposed 2021 budget. Its adoption hinges on the opposition, which submitted 500 amendments, and could obstruct the opening of the session.

The ruling majority has only 62 votes, and is often unable to put together the 61 votes needed to begin a session. The one time it was successful in this was last week, when the majority appointed Zaev’s crony, judge Dobrila Kacarska, to the Constitutional Court, and also adopted a law that will pay a significant sum to the politically linked Makpetrol company for its share of the gas pipeline to Bulgaria.

The debate on the budget is expected to last for ten days. It is the biggest budget yet, surpassing 4 billion EUR in spending, wtih a deficit estimated at 600 million after the 2020 deficit is about to reach a billion EUR.