Political controversy sparked due to the size of the 2010 excises


Deputies tovote on tax laws

The parliament ispreparing an increase in exciseswhich will raise the price of a liter of hardalcohol by 60 stotinki (0.60 BGN). Homemadealcohol, if up to 30 liters, will incur a 30 stotinki (0.30 BGN) increase inprice per liter.

Almostv two months ago the Ministry of Finance suggested the excise of alcohol to be increased by 15 % - a suggestion which was later abandoned. However, the idea was once again revisited this past week in parliament. Initially, the party of Yane Yanev brought forth a proposal for adrastic raise,which was followed by a more modest, and subsequently accepted, proposal by DeputyKircho Dimitrov, of the Blue Coalition, that coincided with the initial ideaof the Minister of Finance.

 

The Blue Coalitionstated today thatthey would vote against the raising of the excise.They also blamed CEDB(Citizensfor European Development of Bulgaria- GERB) of being unprincipled. The Blue Coalition recalledan agreementsigned with CEDB(Citizensfor European Development of Bulgaria- GERB)for anadditional 450 mln. BGN for reform in healthcare.The verbal agreement was part of the expected incomes from an increased excise on the alcohol and froman increased tax ongambling.

 

Alcohol is expected to bring 40-50 million BGN and gambling shouldbring another 70-80 million. Theproposed tax of 15 % on gambling was not passed. According to the leader of Blue Coalition, Martin Dimitrov, the gambling lobby prevailedin the last minute and blamed CEDB (Citizens for European Developmentof Bulgaria - GERB) of being unprincipled.

 

“Why is one okay, yet another isnot? I do not want different lobbies to be compared in Bulgaria. It is very important that politics remain principled and that one ethical position is understoodby everyone and no one could undermine it. However, if either is abolished, that position can no longer be ethical,” shares Martin Dimitrov.

 

The Chairman of the Budget Commission, Menda Stojanova,claims she never heard about the verbal agreement with the BlueCoalition. Accordingto her, a modest decision was made toincrease the tax from 10% to 12 %.

 

“I do not see the reason why the Blue Coalition should make the connection between both of the proposals. These commodities are neither essential nor obligatory - everybody chooses whether to drink, whether to smoke and I do not see anything wrong with thecountry taking its share from that choice,” shared Menda Stojanova.

 

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http://www.btv.bg/news/news_details.pcgi?cont_id=146147