Excise Excess

Novinite Insider » EDITORIAL | January 18, 2007, Thursday // 00:00
Bulgaria: Excise Excess Photo by Kameliya Atanasova (Sofia Photo Agency)

by Lora Petrova

Terror took hold of the hearts of thousands of Bulgarians as the government announced it is increasing the excise tax on home produced alcohol.

The news stirred up an immediate uproar from every person in the country who produces his/her own wine or brandy, known in Bulgaria as rakia. The newly born "rakia rebels" showed resistance unseen before on these lands.

The main complaint of the rakia producers and owners of distillers is that the higher excise tax will literally ruin their lives and they will be left without any means of living. They also claim the increased tax is unfair because they do not use the home-made alcohol for any trade purposes. They just produce it to satisfy their own needs. In the meantime one can buy home made rakia for even on the Internet. You just have to write "home-made rakia" at google.com and there you have it.

Don't "Rakia rebels"' s complaints and protests in village and town squares look ridiculous and absurd? On one hand these people keep arguing the government does absolutely nothing for the country's well being, leaves everybody on the loose not to pay taxes and violate state law. On the other hand they do exactly the same.

Their meaningless protest has reached an odd point of excess. It turns out the "rakia rebels" protest because they want to violate tax laws. And the government is telling them a simple "no". One of the opinion-sharers on our forum recently made a very good observation on this issue: "Bulgarians never protest at nothing, they only nag non-stop. BUT DON'T TOUCH MY RAKIA....".

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