Bulgaria Finance Minister defends excise law changes regarding homemade brandy

Bulgarian Finance Minister Galiub Donev has addressed public backlash regarding proposed amendments to the Excise Act and Tax Warehouses Act. The controversy stems from provisions that restrict the possession of homemade brandy produced in small distilleries to the producer and their immediate family members. Critics and opposition politicians argue this could lead to heavy fines, potentially up to 1,000 euros, for individuals receiving homemade alcohol as gifts.

Minister Donev clarified that the primary objective is to curb the illegal trade of homemade alcohol in commercial venues such as restaurants and hotels, rather than monitoring private citizens. He noted that the Customs Agency has already seized 15,000 liters of such alcohol intended for commercial sale this year. He emphasized that the government does not intend to act as a control body for individuals consuming alcohol produced for personal use.

The proposal has drawn criticism from multiple political parties, including GERB, DPS, and Democratic Bulgaria, who have labeled the measures as an attack on tradition or logically flawed. Additionally, a separate political tension has emerged between the Ministry of Finance and the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) following comments by BNB Governor Dimitar Radev regarding the potential economic impact of windfall taxes on the banking sector.