Pavel Tonev

The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance has unveiled plans to consolidate the National Revenue Agency and the Customs Agency into a single entity, marking a significant step towards streamlining financial operations in the country.

Finance Minister Assen Vassilev Friday announced personnel changes in the revenue agencies and their priorities at a news briefing on Friday. The caretaker cabinet has replaced the heads of the National Revenue Agency (NRA) andthe National Customs Agency (NCA).

Bulgaria's Customs Agency faces a shortfall of BGN 617 M by end-August 2014, according to Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov.

In a Thursday interview for bTV, Tanov made clear that the deficit had been formed due to the weak excise duty receipts and VAT receipts.

He insisted that the VAT receipts target was very unrealistic.

Vanyo Tanov will be reappointed as a head of Bulgaria's Customs Agency, said the interim Finance Minister Rumen Porozhanov at a news conference. 

Porozhanov said that an analysis shows that the Customs Agency has a serious deficit in the revenue and the current head Pavel Tonev will be dismissed on Tuesday. 

Bulgarian Customs Agency head Pavel Tonev has vowed a comprehensive inspection at the authority.

Tonev, who was appointed Director of the Customs Agency in November 2013, explained in an interview for Standard daily that the probe would include public procurement deals from 2009 on.