Usually the Bulgarian Parliament discusses about 350 proposed laws during a year, that is 25 to 30 every month. During the last month of every year there are more proposed draft bills than the monthly average. The number of proposals for amendments between first and second readings is higher than the average as well.
Among the many decisions taken by Parliament last December, one of the most important concerns the taxation on gambling activities from toto and loto games, betting on sport results and other random events, cigarette prices and VAT.
Parliament rejected the proposal put forward by the Government to change the taxation basis and the way taxes are paid on some gambling activities, mostly because there was strong public pressure against the bill from the public.
In Bulgaria gambling activities with mechanical means, that is casinos, get significant preferential treatment both compared to other gambling activities and to all other economic activities. Taxes are levied on the number of gambling machines and not on financial results. As in the past, the Parliament was not able to correct this situation.
Parliament also considered taxes on cigarettes in December, the main result of which is that cheaper products will become more expensive during the year 2008.  The increase in the specific duty on each “cheap” cigarette compared to its selling price will be higher than that of the more expensive brands.
Changes in the Value Added Tax Bill foresaw VAT being put on legal and notary services.
A proposal by an opposition party was put forward for returning VAT quicker, in a period of less than 10 days, to “the good merchants”. According to this proposal, businesses whose last three VAT audits have shown a difference between the actual and declared obligations of less than 3% or insignificant should be considered as “good merchants”.