Bulgarian PM to Discuss Smuggling Issue

Bulgaria's PM Borisov will explain during Friday's parliament meeting why cigarette excise taxes in the country rose by 24,5%, yet revenues for that year are 15 % less then those for 2008. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is expected to answer questions about the government's anti-smuggling policy during Parliament's Friday sitting .

Two MPs of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BPS), Anton Kutev and Kornelia Ninova, have raised the issue of the thriving smuggling of goods in Bulgaria.

During Parliament's Wednesday sitting, Ninova pointed out that the smuggling of excise goods in Bulgaria has already steeped up to 50% and may cause a gap in the budget.

In support of her statement, Ninova cited data from the Bulgarian Tobacco Growers Association as well as the words of Bulgaria's Financial Minister Simeon Djankov that his main goal is to bring down smuggling in Bulgaria from 40 to 20%. According to Ninova, Djankov's statement proves that smuggling in the country is at least 40%.

The socialist MP, pointed out Wednesday that cigarette excise taxes were increased by 24,5% in 2009, yet sales revenues are 15% less year-on-year.

PM Borisov is also expected to answer Friday to questions by BSP Msumen Petkov and Dragomir Stoynev about the lack of a controlling body for Bulgaria's Privatization Agency.

Bulgaria's Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov will present at Friday's parliamentary sitting the Ministry's interior audit report about the Bulgarian State Railroads (BDZ) for January 2007 – September 2009.

Bulgaria's Health Minister, Anna-Maria Borisova, will discuss the reserve of the National Health Insurance Fund.

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