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© Georgi Kozhukharov
With changes to the Gambling Law in February, private lotteries were banned
Half a year after the National Revenue Agency (NRA) imposed preliminary seizures of bank accounts, deposits, belongings and money for some 300 million BGN to the company “New Games”, through which the “National Lottery” operated of Vasil Bozhkov, the Administrative Court in the city of Sofia finally canceled them.
Before “Dnevnik”, the executive director of the lottery, which is in the process of bankruptcy, Dimitar Ganev confirmed the court decisions, but did not want to say what other cases the companies are taking and at what stage they are.
On February 14, the State Gaming Commission (SCG) issued two laws to establish state public accounts receivable: one for BGN 47,615,189 owed and the other for an additional BGN 188,199,519 along with nearly BGN 35 million in interest. “Now.”
Just one week later, on February 21, a public contractor for the National Revenue Agency (NRA) imposed injunctions totaling BGN 273,150,550, including interest in the amount of BGN 50,100,240.
New Games appealed the ruling to the director of the Territorial Directorate of the National Revenue Agency in Sofia, but he confirmed it on March 11. It is clear from the court ruling that the decree lacked motivation, had no basis and, furthermore, the acts of the SCG were attacked in court and the cases are still pending.
“The two acts of constitution of state public credits have been appealed before the ACCG and two cases have been initiated, which have not been completed either at the time of issuing the decree, or at the time of issuing the decision of the Director of TD of the NRA, or the moment of delivery of this decision ”, the court must give reasons.
Another thing that the court accepted, the fact that the preliminary execution of the two acts issued was allowed, does not mean that they have entered into force and that there is reason to proceed with the forced collection of the State’s public accounts receivable.
The reasons also indicate that the decision of March 11, by which the director of the TD of the National Revenue Agency in Sofia confirmed the precautionary measures imposed, is “a mechanical deed without any evidence of the existence of an executive title.”
The court panel stated that it was not motivated what actions would make it difficult to collect the public accounts receivable established and owed.
Another panel of judges in another case finally overturned a decree imposing preliminary injunctions against New Games for more than BGN 22.5 million, an amount that has been claimed by the NRA for non-payment of corporate taxes by the company.
The reasons for this decision indicate that the date on which the audit was ordered practically coincided with the date on which the request for precautionary measures was issued and, according to New Games, the amount of the responsibilities could not be determined in such a short time and if there were. reasons for the imposition of precautionary measures. The court accepted these arguments, accepting New Games’ arguments as fully justified.
“The request has a blank content and is not motivated. There is no analysis or specific data to justify the conclusion that the amount of the presumed responsibilities is BGN 22,528,044. The only reason in the request for the imposition of precautionary measures preliminary is that there is a significant discrepancy between the reported sales revenue and this will lead to additional corporate tax liabilities in the amount of BGN 22,528,044. The same is not supported by evidence, “the court decision reads.
In February, the National Assembly passed amendments to the Gaming Act that banned all private lotteries, and this segment of the gambling business was effectively nationalized. Vasil Bozhkov, who is hiding in the United Arab Emirates, has been charged with 18 counts: coercion, extortion, attempted bribery of an official, influence peddling, possession and expropriation of cultural property, rape and murder.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the unpaid fees for years by Bozhkov’s companies for games of chance organized by them amount to 500 million lev.
Also in February, the members of the gaming commission were completely replaced by an order from then-Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov, after it was announced that for years private lotteries had paid less taxes to the state, damaging the budget by some 210 million. . BGN
In early July, the Sofia City Administrative Court ruled that the revocation of Eurofootball’s license by the State Gaming Commission (DHK) was illegal. The gaming company’s license was suspended for three months on March 25. The reason was a law for unpaid state fees in the amount of BGN 328.9 million for the period between February 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019. The decision is not final. As early as March 26, Bozhkov described the commission’s act as “unprecedented hypocrisy” and a “biased freeze” of a going concern.
