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Economic overview of 2007
Public finance On a macro level remained the question to what extent the government got used to making not anti-crisis budgets, but rather budgets in a state of rapidly developing economy. The regular growth of revenue accumulation and the realized significant surpluses in the recent years put a reasonable doubt into that. In 20... -
Could the government control inflation
We must start with the clarification that by inflation the broad public understands the change in the consumer prices index (CPI). In this frame the monetary policy, creating money supply, is only one of the factors, having influence over prices (i.e. inflation, as perceived that way). So, why this year the NSI registered high ... -
Is there a luxury housing market in Bulgaria
Considering frequent announcements in the electronic databases, offering “luxury” housing, the aforesaid question seems rather a rhetorical one. However, the majority of flats, advertised as luxury, are in fact common. In other words, the luxury housing segment in Bulgaria is still in its initial stage of development. Interpreta... -
How much to invest in the Sofia traffic?
The Sofia municipality is planning to invest BGN 3 billion in order to improve the traffic in the city. However, it did not clarify what particular benefits these investments of public resources will pursue. Invested resources are taken from the taxpayers’ money. In order for them to make sense, they must raise public benefits. ... -
Are there “external risks” according to the balance of payments’ data
In the Budget 2008 statement the government declared its intentions to defend the economy from “external risks” via fiscal means. This is not a new understanding, although popular analyses and releases are focusing almost entirely on the current account deficit in the balance of payments. We must however tell the difference betw... -
Innovations and supervision
Last week Bulgarian lawmakers urgently extended the scope of financial supervision activities. Among insurance activities were also included contracts, which have options to acquire real estate property via payment of life-long pension or rent (thus enterprises, offering such a product, have to obtain a license as insurers). Thi... -
Why taxes were not an object of discussion during local elections
Local elections confirmed the tradition mainly personal characteristics to compete, rather than concrete suggestions. As opposed to parliament elections, where we gradually observe emerging competition of ideas regarding tax size, on a local level we almost did not hear anything on this matter. It turned out however that 2008 wi... -
Budget thinking in a state of growing economy
Three weeks ago we wrote that the main debate when making the 2008 budget will be between defenders of tax reduction and supporters of government spending increase. The base for these alternatives’ existence is the willingness to balance the budget, i.e. to fix the large surplus. Now we see that the government has chosen a media...