BG

THE SHARE OF SMUGGLED CIGARETTES IS 5.8%, WHICH IS THE LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 2007

08.08.2018

 

The fight against smuggling is not a one-off campaign. There is no coincidence that the budget is in surplus with 2 billion, given we started on minus, with a deficit. This was stated by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov during the presentation of the results for the first quarter of 2018 on the trends and levels of illegal cigarette trade, reported by the empty packages survey. According to the latest data, the share of smuggled cigarettes is 5.8%, which is the lowest level since 2007 when the survey was done for the first time.

 

Borissov underlined the effect from the work of the Interinstitutional Coordination Center for Counteracting Smuggling and Control on the Movement of Risk Goods and Cargo, which is situated within the Directorate General for Counteracting Organized Crime and staffed by officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Customs and the National Revenue Agency. According to him, thanks to the diligent work of the various departments, there is double control. The personal commitment of the prosecution to the issue also gives results and contributes to the rapid response on the ground.

 

The Prime Minister highlighted that the fight against smuggling contributes to more peace for the citizens, more budget revenue, as well as an opportunity to raise the living standard. "The additional budget revenue allowed us to do so much not only in the social sphere, but also when it comes to the salaries in the Ministry of Interior, of the army, the teachers, the prison staff, the retiree bonuses for Christmas and Easter, for the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences," reminded Prime Minister Borissov.