BULGARIA’S GREY ECONOMY EXCEEDS 30%

“The informal economy in Bulgaria exceeds 30% at present and the percentage is higher on the labour market,” Kamen Kolev, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), told Focus agency. According to him, the obligatory connection of cash registers with the National Revenue Agency (NRA), cash payments and access to the credits and records of audited companies, showing how firms or individuals pay their loans, provided that they do not declare sufficient incomes for doing that, can help reduce the informal economy in the country.

According to Kolev, the efforts for reducing the grey economy in 2013 should focus on limiting the administrative and financial burden on businesses, which will result in shedding light on the grey inflows. Kolev also pointed to other necessary measures such as BIA’s proposal – payments of companies to public institutions for social and tax purposes to be effected via a payment order that will save a large financial resource to businesses to the amount of BGN 50-60 mln. Such measures are particularly useful for businesses and will reduce their financial and administrative expenses, while helping lighten the economy.

“The State should introduce overall electronic public services and the relationship between citizens and businesses with the state administration should also be electronic. This means electronic public procurement services, electronic regulatory regimes, licenses, permits and payments to the State. This will eliminate the major problem of red-tape and corruption,” specified BIA’s Deputy Chairman.