Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Vassilev and Deputy Finance Minister Atanas Katsarchev have allegedly failed to reach an agreement on the issue of the cigarettes prices. That is said to be the reason for the postponement of the Cabinet’s decree on the prices rise. The Economy Ministry reportedly insisted on selling the stocks of cigarettes with old duty stamp at the current prices. The Finance Ministry wanted the new prices to be introduced as early as January 1, 2002. Minister Katsarchev motivated his suggestion with the fact that the revenues from the increased excise duty has already been envisaged in Budget 2002.