site.btaPursuing Social Policy through Taxation Is Not Effective - Expert

Lyubomir Datsov, member of the Fiscal Council of Bulgaria and former deputy finance minister, told the Bulgarian National Television on Sunday that pursuing social policy through taxation is not effective. Datsov's comment came in response to Bulgarian Socialist Party National Council Chair and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, who said on Saturday that it is time for real reform in taxation—with progressive taxation and strong protection of the incomes of ordinary people.

Datsov said that social policy should not be implemented through revenue, because such an approach would be deeply ineffective. "If you want to be effective and have a normal country, then, naturally, support those in need through expenditure," he added. He was adamant that using taxation to pursue social policies would harm the budget.

According to Datsov, a potential reintroduction of progressive taxation would harm the middle class. "The people who will suffer and lose a lot are precisely those who have relatively good incomes and stable jobs."