site.btaAs MPs Argue over Whether or Not Bulgaria Has Demographic Crisis, Socialists' Proposal for Tax-Free Income for under-26s Voted Down

With 70 votes in favour, 6 against and 102 abstentions, Parliament rejected on first reading the bill submitted by BSP for Bulgaria to amend the Income Taxes on Natural Persons Act. In the course of the debate, MPs argued whether or not there is a demographic crisis in Bulgaria.

The amendments envisaged supporting young people under 26 years of age, making their income tax-free. It was also proposed that income from employment up to the poverty line for all persons, regardless of age, should also be tax-free.

The amendments were supported by Vazrazhdane, BSP for Bulgaria and There Is Such a People (TISP), as well as one MP each from GERB-UDF and Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (CC-DB). The draft law was rejected by the votes of GERB-UDF, CC-DB and MRF.

"Demographic collapse in Bulgaria" is quite a bold statement, said Ilina Mutafchieva from CC-DB. She pointed out that the question is not how many children young Bulgarians give birth to, but where they manage to realise themselves. The last thing that young people are interested in is this relief that you are proposing, Mutafchieva addressed the BSP.

"We do not have a demographic crisis, you are right, we have a demographic apocalypse," said the deputy chairman of the National Assembly, Tsoncho Ganev (Vazrazhdane).

It is nonsense to say that there is no "demographic collapse" in Bulgaria, commented BSP floor leader Korneliya Ninova. In her words, Bulgaria is in a "demographic death" and we are the fastest disappearing nation. Young people were indeed interested in such support from the state - while we were together in government, they were interested in free kindergartens, free textbooks, tax breaks, yet now you claim they are not interested in such a policy,” Ninova addressed the CC-DB.