“Inflation is taxation without legislation” – this phrase, uttered by the American economist Milton Friedman, is universal and valid for every period of inflation from the past to the present. Another part of his thesis is that inflation is a purely monetary phenomenon, or more clearly – when too much money …
More »The inadequate arguments against the abolition of VAT for establishments
Let’s start with an important clarification. The purpose of this article is to refute some of the main arguments against the planned reduction of VAT from 20% to 9% specifically for the restaurant sector, which was announced by Prime Minister Borisov this week. The purpose is not to defend proposed VAT cuts for other …
More »3 measures to stimulate the economy in response to the pandemic
After the purely health measures aimed at protecting the health of Bulgarian citizens in the current Covid-19 pandemic, the next package of measures that it will have to take are purely financial. The pandemic is causing huge economic damage, with Europe being the most affected, given the massive spread of the virus in some of the most fragile …
More »Three fiscal ideas for Budget 2020
With the arrival of autumn comes the budget season in the country. The draft budget for the next year (or at least its final touches) is always prepared in October and published towards the end of the month, and every time we from EKIP evaluate it...with great disappointment. This time we decided to take matters into our own hands and …
More »How to do tax reforms? A universal recipe for developing countries
Author: Yaroslav Romanchuk, economist and politician from Belarus, president of the Scientific Research Mises Center. (The text is Romanchuk's recommendation for tax reform in Ukraine) The world is rapidly developing in the direction of breakthrough technologies of the IV industrial revolution. Since the end of 2010, communication between people has been fundamentally different from before …
More »EKIP in the media about VAT differentiation and pension increases
The activity of the experts from the EKIP continues in June with participation in media discussions related to reforms in the pension system and healthcare, the proposal to reduce VAT, entry into ERM II, legalization of marijuana, etc. The topic that most excited the public during the month was the proposal of the MRF to reduce …
More »Differentiated VAT, flat VAT – which is better?
In recent weeks, the most current political and economic topic in the country has been the numerous proposals to abolish VAT, which seem to be pouring in from absolutely all sides of the political spectrum in the Bulgarian parliament. After the initial proposal, which came from the DPS, alternative ideas for abolishing the value-added tax have also appeared in …
More »Food voucher market research in Bulgaria
State of the system, socio-economic impacts and prospects for liberalization This study provides a macroeconomic, socio-economic and fiscal assessment of the possibility of liberalizing the food voucher system in Bulgaria. You can read the full text of the study here. It takes into account the development of the country since 2012, especially the dynamics of incomes …
More »Bulgaria DOES NOT have the lowest taxes in the European Union
Author: Stefan Stoyanov It is widely believed that Bulgaria has the lowest taxes in the European Union. This perception is formed by comparing the rates, especially of Corporate Tax and Income Tax, with the corresponding rates in countries such as Germany or Denmark. But neither of these countries are representative of the entire European Union, …
More »The road to Hell is paved with good intentions - the effects of VAT
This article is not for people who believe in the power of government and authorities to make decisions for a person and navigate their future and destiny. This article is for people who are not afraid to make mistakes, learn from them, and raise their children as their …
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EKIP– Expert Club for Economics and Politics A Different Opinion