“The rehabilitation of the social state is the main task of the 42nd National Assembly” stated the President of the national Assembly at the opening of the discussion themed: “The fight with poverty in Bulgaria”. The forum is organized by the National Assembly, the Economics and International Relations Institute and Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Bulgaria. The event was attended by Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski and Social Minister Hasan Ademov, experts, representatives of trade-unions.

In his opening speech Mihal Mikov reminded that the main directions in the legislative work and the parliamentary control of the 42nd National Assembly were directed towards the social policy and the fight against poverty.

“In the social field, the current 42nd Assembly had found a standstill in what the Constitution determines as social state, disregard for and neglect of poverty, broadening of the vulnerable social layers. All this, accompanied by the presence of a financial stability with an end in itself". Mikov further said poverty in Bulgaria is an offspring of the transition period and reflects its mistakes.

He pointed out to the real measures undertaken by the 42nd National Assembly to tackle the problems of poverty.

He underscored the first stage of the urgent social measures undertaken literally on “the next day” after the establishment of the 42nd National Assembly were the increase of mother’s allowances for care of children from BGN 240 to BGN 310, the increase in the special assistance for students from BGN 150 to BGN 250, the payment of state debts due to the businesses.

He stated the second stage of measures is to be undertaken in 2014 under the form of larger expenditures for health care, the increase of the maximum contributory income ceiling for insurance from BGN 2200 to BGN 2400, the activation of the Swiss rule of pensions’ indexation as of 1 July 2014.

Mihail Mikov also mentioned the distribution of European funds throughout the country is not even as most of the funds go to regions with higher per capita income thus contributing to social inequality. In his view more funds should go to regions with smaller incomes and high concentration of vulnerable social groups, the Northwest region in particular.