Sat, Jul 04 2009
Parliament approved on November 23, in first reading, amendments to the Income Tax for Natural Persons Act, which will introduce a 10 per cent flat tax rate starting from January 2008.
The amendments were supported with 152 against 36 votes, with four abstentions, Bulgarian news agency (BTA) said.
The flat tax rate will replace the current progressive tax system.
Percentage of advance tax for natural persons will be reduced from 15 to 10 per cent.
Deductibles for certain categories of income will continue to apply, but at a lower rate. Forty per cent for income derived from the sale of products of agriculture, fishing, hunting and forestry, copyrighted works, licences, inventions, works of science, culture and art, artistic performances and crafts, 25 per cent for self employed and freelance work and 10 per cent for managerial work and participation in controlling bodies.
Income tax for sole traders will be 15 per cent.
Any mandatory social or medical insurance contributions, paid for income earned abroad, can be deducted from the personal income tax due in Bulgaria.
An amendment by United Democratic Forces Member of Parliament Martin Dimitrov to introduce a tax-free threshold of 220 leva was rejected by Parliament.
Ataka and Order Law and Justice parties stage symbolic blockades at Bulgaria’s borders with Turkey on eve of July 5 2009 parliamentary election, while reports record influx of would-be voters and, it is claimed, flights are being chartered from Turkey.
In a blow against a problem that has been plaguing Bulgaria’s elections, State Agency for National Security and Interior Ministry say several people in a ‘major criminal organisation’ have been arrested for vote-buying, on the eve of the July 5 vote.
Barometer Info survey on July 3 2009, just ahead of the eve of Bulgaria’s national parliamentary elections, gives GERB 27.05 per cent and Sergei Stanishev’s Coalition for Bulgaria 19.09 per cent.
The exact number of people sacked from duty out of the 600 who refused to go to work on Monday is undisclosed, although reports claim that as of June 3 at least four people were told they were surplus to requirements.
Open your mind and face the unknown: the 2009 general elections in Bulgaria.