Panama Papers: Bulgarian MP Proposes Tax Amnesty for Offshore Account Holders

A Bulgarian MP has proposed to announce a tax amnesty scheme for the country’s nationals holding funds in bank accounts in offshore jurisdictions following revelations in Panama Papers leaks.

Antoni Trenchev, a MP from the junior government coalition parther the Reformist Bloc, told bTV broadcaster on Friday that Bulgaria could offer to its nationals with offshore bank accounts to deposit their money with Bulgarian banks at the cost of one-off payment of 15% tax until a certain deadline to avoid potential sanctions for tax evasion from the National Revenue Agency (NRA).

Not everyone holding money in an offshore account is a criminal but the legitimate instrument of offshore financing could be abused, Trenchev said, according to btvnovinite.bg.

The return of offshore money to Bulgaria could boost the country’s banks liquidity and bring about a drop in loan rates, he added.

On Tuesday, the NRA filed a formal request for information about Bulgarians whose names emerge in Panama Papers leak of confidential documents revealing how tax havens are used to hide wealth.

The request was submitted  to Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa, which is the only Bulgarian partner to US-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the organization that published on Sunday its findings based on documents leaked from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.

The few Bulgarian entrepreneurs, whose names have been announced as leaked in the Panama Papers by 24 Chasa so far, have all denied any wrongdoing. No names of acting or former Bulgarian politicians have emerged from Panama Papers so far.

At least 50 companies, 16 company owners and 78 shareholders from across Bulgaria have been linked to registrations in offshore jurisdictions around the world in the leaked documents, according to 24 Chasa.