Between 11% and 12% of Bulgaria’s fuel market remains in the gray sector. The National Revenue Agency (NRA) and the Customs Agency will discuss additional action against unregulated supplies and smuggling at a working meeting next week.
This was announced by NRA Deputy Executive Director Hristo Markov on the Bulgarian National Television program “The Day Begins.” According to him, fuel control includes both tracking documents and the movement of quantities, as well as on-site inspections at gas stations suspected of violations.
“Next week, we are bringing together a working group with colleagues from the NRA and colleagues from the Customs Agency. We will consider this issue. We are constantly working on it. You know that the gray sector cannot disappear, but we are trying to reduce it as much as possible,” Markov said.Seven violations found at 17 inspected sites
During the latest joint inspection by the NRA, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Customs Agency, 17 gas stations were inspected, with seven violations identified. They were mainly found at smaller sites.
The issuance of receipts, the accounting of quantities sold, the operation of fuel-level measuring systems and delivery documents are being checked. The NRA tracks the movement of fuel from tax warehouses to gas stations through an information center.
“Where there is suspicion that fuel may be supplied from elsewhere or that some form of smuggling may be taking place, we conduct on-site inspections rather than merely document checks. These inspections are carried out following an analysis; they are not random,” the NRA deputy executive director explained.
More than 38,000 inspections since the beginning of the year
As of October 31, the NRA had collected EUR 21 billion and EUR 880 million in revenue. The amount is EUR 880 million, or 5%, higher than during the same period of the previous year. Annual plan implementation stands at 77%, while the expectation is that it will reach 98–99% by the end of the year.
Since the beginning of the year, the revenue agency has carried out more than 38,000 inspections of commercial sites, identifying around 15,500 violations. According to Hristo Markov, inflation is affecting revenue growth, but the methods used to collect taxes and social security contributions, as well as businesses’ fiscal discipline, also play a role.
NRA considering turnover-linked penalties
Particular attention will be focused on the restaurant sector. The share of violations found during inspections there rose from 20% in 2024 to 25% in 2025 and around 30% in 2026. One of the main problems is the failure to issue receipts, including at reputable restaurants and hotels.
According to Markov, the current penalties do not always have a sufficient deterrent effect. Depending on the violation, the fine can reach EUR 10,000, but some businesses prefer to pay it rather than change their behavior.
“It is clear that the fine needs to be increased because it has no such preventive effect. The fines are paid and they continue not to issue receipts,” Markov commented.Among the options under discussion are linking penalties to the turnover of the commercial site and connecting POS terminals to fiscal devices, following a practice used in Italy. The specific measures against the gray fuel sector are expected to be finalized after the working meeting between the NRA and the Customs Agency.
Sources: business.dir.bg, bntnews.bg, nra.bg