This year the focus of the work of the National Revenue Agency (NRA) will be on tax evasion and insurance in construction and agriculture, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Asen Vassilev told BNR. He reminded that last year, thanks to the changed approach, tax collection increased by BGN 8 billion or 18 percent – significantly above inflation and economic growth.

“We are going industry by industry. Various databases are being linked and risky companies and activities are being identified. We have gone through several large industries and large users of public resources. At least 5-6 large industries are still to come,” Vassilev said.

According to him, there is a large amount of cash in construction, which is not clarified, and workers are not insured on real income. The inspections will start in mid-February, when the connection between the individual registers will be ready – the employment contracts, the NRA, the customs. Thus, last year, companies with large cash stocks were identified. “The approach is for the biggest violators to enter an inspection, and for others to be given time to voluntarily correct their violations,” the minister said. The same will be done in agriculture, where the focus will be on the revenue tax on fuels.

Vassilev recalled that the coalition agreement stipulates that criminalizing the payment of money in an envelope. “We are aware that it is difficult for some businesses to pay social security contributions for the entire amount,” Vassilev said. Therefore, the amount for food vouchers has been increased from BGN 80 to BGN 200, and it is possible to pay utility costs with them. The amounts are exempt from tax and insurance and this is a relief for both companies and employees. “When there is a problem to solve, we need to give businesses a real approach, but if they don’t, we are entering a sanctions regime,” he said.

The Minister of Finance said that with Budget 2022 he proposed the abolition of two taxes that he considered meaningless – the weekend tax and the tax on interest, the income from which is negligible. However, he has not given up his intention to increase the maximum insurance income, but this will happen after consultations.

No increase in the budgets of the individual departments is envisaged, and an increase in the salaries of officials will be sought through optimization.

/Dnevnik

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