Bulgarian Ministry of Finance, Statistics Institute Play down Eurostat Visit

Bulgarian Statistical Institute claims it calculates budget deficit according to Eurostat rules.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance is “neither surprised, nor worried” about the announcement that Eurostat is sending an investigative mission to the country.

The official statement of the ministry comes after an announcement earlier Tuesday that Eurostat will investigate Bulgaria's methods of determining its budget deficit.

The Ministry stated that it has been expecting the Eurostat mission since May.

The Bulgarian National Statistical Institute also issued a statement, according to which Eurostat's visit is not a surprise.

Regular Eurostat missions are staged in accordance to the EU Regulation 479/2009 on the excessive deficit procedure, on which Bulgaria is placed, says the Statistical Institute. A mission of that kind was planned for March, but postponed due to the work burden in Eurostat.

The Bulgarian Statistical Institute further states that it prepares and sends statistical information about Bulgaria's debt and deficit in accordance with rules developed by Eurostat. The last data on deficit and debt presented by the Statistical Institute to Eurostat are from March 2010 and have been published on April 22 2010 at the websites of both agencies after approval by Eurostat.

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