03.06.2014

"Definitely, there are no grounds to consider that we are facing bankruptcy of the State. The fiscal reserve is BGN 6 billion as of the end of April. The situation in February 2013 was different; then the fiscal reserve was BGN 3.9 billion and that even after an urgent extraordinary issue of debt. Then we had grounds to be concerned, but now the case is different", Minister of Finance Petar Chobanov said in an interview for the BNR 12+3 programme in reply to the comments of the opposition in the past days.

"We witness hysterical talking which is closed within the framework of political speculations. There is again profane talking about "a hole" in the budget, Chobanov further commented. According to the Finance Minister the deficit reported in April has logical explanation and is linked with increased capital expenditure and EU funds absorption. "Expenditure under the EU Funds are BGN 514 million more because until the very end of last year and now we have been making payments under the EU programmes", Chobanov specified. He pointed out that the EU assessment for the work of the Government in respect of the EU funds was obvious from the EC recommendations of yesterday. "This year the recommendation for accelerated EU funds absorption has fallen out and this is indicative of our efforts in this field", Chobanov added.

In reply to the question about the work of the revenue administrations Minister Petar Chobanov commented that the assessment for their work was related to the results and gave as an example that in respect of non-refunded VAT to the businesses by the NRA at the beginning of the term of office of the Government the figure was BGN 350 million and now it was only BGN 160 million. Petar Chobanov emphasized again that no changes in the management of the NRA of the Customs Agency were expected.

"The Customs Agency collected BGN 630 million more in the second half of 2013 compared to the first half of that year. This is indicative for the work of the Agency", Chobanov added. Besides the Customs Agency, together with the Ministry of Interior, apprehended more than 2.5 ton of drugs and precursors and that was much more than the quantities apprehended in past years. Therefore, according to Petar Chobanov, GERB had no arguments to speak about the contraband.

"The Greek influence on the Bulgarian economy will decrease and more Bulgarian citizens would prefer to have their vacation on our Black Sea side and not in Greece". Thus the Finance Minister commented the speculative public talking about "a Greek scenario" in our country. Minister Chobanov stated that the fiscal policy originated risks, but it was important how they were managed. He was adamant that there was no danger of a need to revise the budget, and there was no need for urgent plans "to save" the State.

On the hot issue in the field of the emergency medical care Minister Chobanov is of the opinion that in the first place we have to see what the actual state of the system is, to check whether there are internal reserves and then the State could help too. He reminded that the Government has allocated BGN 12 million for the building of emergency centres in the country through the Public Investment Programme.