site.btaGERB and MRF Support Possible Merger of Revenue and Customs Agencies, BSP Objects

GERB and MRF Support Possible Merger of Revenue and Customs Agencies, BSP Objects

Sofia, April 9 (BTA) - The idea of a merger of the National
Revenue Agency (NRA) and the Customs Agency suggested by Prime
Minister Boyko Borissov met with support from MPs of GERB and
the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), while Left MPs
objected to it.

At Wednesday's government meeting Borissov criticized the
performance of the Customs Agency and the Border Police Service
in combating smuggling, and said that unless he was offered
evidence to the contrary, he would suggest that the Customs
Agency and the NRA merge.

Menda Stoyanova (GERB), Chair of the parliamentary Budget and
Finance Committee, said on Thursday that the merger would take
place after proper analysis and preparation. She explained that
the idea suggested on Wednesday was part of GERB's election
platform. At the time the NRA was established, the idea of a
single control body made up of tax and customs inspectors was
discussed. It was decided at the time that this would be done
gradually: first the NRA will be established, then the State
Receivables Collection Agency will join it, and then the Customs
Agency. The NRA is already quite a stable structure, which has
won a reputation for its actions, said Stoyanova. She assumed
that Borissov's statement had been intended to speed up the
teams' work on the technology of the merger.

Stoyanova said that likewise there were objections to the merger
of the NRA and the
State Receivables Collection Agency, but it is a fact that the
collection rate soared afterwards.

Petar Chobanov MP of the MRF spoke in favour of Borissov's
suggestion. Asked why it was not put into practice by Plamen
Oresharski's government of which he was finance minister, he
said that Parliament did not function well at the time and there
was no majority to back it. He added that it would take at
least a year and a half to bring about the merger of the two
agencies.

Georgi Turnovaliiski MP of BSP-Left Bulgaria told journalists
that it was not necessary to merge the two agencies at this
stage. What is needed is to improve control of the two
administrations and the working conditions of their employees.
He was adamant that the merger could not be supported,
especially if it was done overnight. He argued that it would be
a shock to the administrations and would pose a risk to their
performance.