The Rakia Campaign

A Rakia Rebellion has been brewing for ages in Bulgaria.

Homemade rakia has been made for centuries in Bulgaria, the brandy type spirit distilled from many types of fruit but in the main plums and grapes is a tradition they are very proud of.
Rakia has been a fairly cheap to produce without any tax being put on the liquor. Then of course enter the European Union Fat Cat Society.

Bulgaria became a member of the European Union 1.1.07. The EU requested that Bulgaria fall in line with other EU countries an impose an excise tax on any homemade alcohol that is made from a public stills. So the affect fo this was 40 litres of rakia would jumping from around 25 leva to now with the excise duty rise to around 250 leva.

Bulgarians didn't take to this and a national protest was held on February 14 2007 which marked a Bulgarian public holiday in aid of St. Trifon "The Pruner" (Trifon Zarezana), to celebrate the annual ritual of the trimming of grape vines.

The Rakia Campaign was in full swing with more than 250,000 having signed petitions against the EU tax. Bulgaria is one of the poorest members of the EU and making rakia is one way rural citizens have traditionally come together was the biggest arguement of thier case.

The result, the EU has now put off the excise duty for now due to public opinion but I fear it will be just a matter of time before the thumbs screws are turned again.

An eye on the campaign is still open and we expect something in the pipeline soon fro the Bulgarians to raise their protest and fight against it again. We of course will be right there behind them with our support.