Bulgaria President Attacks Legal Fees' VAT in Court

Bulgaria's President, Georgi Parvanov, is convinced VAT on legal fees is an anti-constitutional move on the part of the Parliament. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's President, Georgi Parvanov, had asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the controversial Value Added Tax (VAT) for attorneys' fees, recently approved by the Parliament.

The information was reported by the presidential institution's press center Friday.

The VAT move received strong opposition from Bulgaria's lawyers who say it violates the citizens' rights of legal protection by triggering an increase of the fees they charge.

Parvanov announced his intentions to submit the issue with the Constitutional Court Tuesday, during his Tuesday meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, Tsetska Tsacheva, which was surprisingly joined by Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, who was not scheduled to attend it.

The President opposes the VAT on attorneys' fees saying this is not a sound policy to lead to Bulgaria's becoming a true country where the legal rights of citizens are protected. He points out the VAT will increase the financial burden on people who are in need of legal assistance and would, in certain cases, deprive them of that right, something he deems anti-constitutional.

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