Bulgaria has begun increased border checks on cargo headed for Austria

No pressure is exercised by Bulgarian authorities on Austrian companies in Bulgaria. This was stated by the Bulgarian Finance Minister Assen Vassilev to journalists. However, he admitted that, at Austria's own request, all cargo coming and heading to the Central European country is subject to increased checks by the Bulgarian Customs Agency. And he pointed out that this is already creating tension.

What we’re doing, and where there is a differentiated treatment towards Austria, are the checks of the Customs Agency, where all cargo coming from and heading there, passes the full set of inspections – including food safety control and X-ray scans and if a problem is detected, the cargo also goes through manual checks. This is at the request of the Austrian side for increased checks on cargo in both directions."

He emphasized that this is already creating tension because the X-ray scanners at the border are insufficient. There is a Bulgarian government plan to give money for the purchase of more such devices, but they will be placed as a priority at the EU external border crossings, such as the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing with Turkey. There are only 2 X-ray scanners for 10 road lanes.

We will not make investments at the internal EU borders, so delays can be expected there," added Assen Vassilev.

The reason for his statement was a report on the Bulgarian state television that the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency (NAP) has started inspections at the commercial outlets of Austrian companies Billa and OMV. Subsequently, the revenue agency said that "inspections are underway in various commercial establishments in Sofia and in the rest of the country", without mentioning these chains in question.

These inspections are regular operations and there is nothing unusual or arbitrary about them. They are not aimed at specific companies," says Rumen Spetsov, the director of the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency.

The finance minister confirmed this and clarified that it is a question of conducting checks in another 500 - 600 to 700 companies in Bulgaria. He explained that they are related to the entry into force of new measures from 1 January for high fiscal risk goods.

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov