Illegal Rakia Stills Produce 50% Of Rakia In Bulgaria

I have to admit I see this goin on at ground level as many of my firend and indeed Bulagrian family here have home made still where rakia is brewed for domestic use of course. Event he law in villages are partisan to this going on, it's not doing anyone any harm as like I said it is for domestic use. The culprits are those who distill hundred of litres of rakia as an on going business and this is the area which should be arrested. Most Bulgarians who produce rakia do so as part of their self sufficient culture and so it should remain. He is a recent interview highlighting the problem, but too generalised for my liking. It makes out that all private stills are illegal, they aren't you can produce up to 30 litres a year for home use without duty being imposed. A Little sensationalising news if you ask me.

Illegal alcohol production leads to damage: chamber chairman

10 November 2009 | 09:00 | FOCUS News Agency

Sofia. We gave the customs and financial ministry documents that prove there are some 9,000 illegal entities in Bulgaria. 1,600 of them are the so-called village stills. The production of illegal alcohol leads to damage for the state and for everyone of us, because no excise duty is collected, Plamen Mollov, chairman of the National Vine and Wine Chamber, said in an interview with Bulgarian bTV television channel.
More than 50% of rakia (fruit brandy) is illegally produced in Bulgaria. The new government declared a war on contraband, he said.
We received a little bit more confidence that we can handle it in Bulgaria, he added.

Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n199912