The Cabinet proposed a longer term for the budget extension and secured funds for transfers to the NHIF

The Council of Ministers approved a draft bill to amend and supplement the Act on Revenue Collection and Expenditure in 2026 until the adoption of the regular budget laws—for the state budget, state social insurance, and the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund. The proposal will be submitted for consideration to the National Assembly, the government press office announced.

The reasoning is that in the absence of an adopted state budget, in accordance with the requirements of the Public Finance Act, it is necessary to extend the validity of the so-called extension law. The changes provide the possibility for salary increases—including the one-time indexation from the beginning of 2026 and the effects of the minimum wage increase—as well as the growth of social payments and transfers to municipalities, to be financed using funds available from the previous year.

It is also envisaged that municipalities will be able to incur expenditures in accordance with enacted regulations, as well as to finance local activities above the level for the same period of the previous year—within their own revenues, budget relations with the central budget, and European Union funds. The deadline for assessing municipalities with financial difficulties under the conditions of an unadopted budget for 2026 is also being extended.

With a separate decision, the government approved funding for February 2026 in an amount up to €900 million to cover personnel costs, social payments, and other current expenditures under the state budget, as well as for transfers to the state social insurance budget, the National Health Insurance Fund, and the EU funds account of the National Fund. These funds will also be provided from balances from the previous year.

According to the Cabinet, this approach ensures the normal functioning of institutions and the implementation of legally mandated increases in expenditures and transfers until the adoption of the regular budget for 2026.