The hauliers who exploit Bulgarian connection

HAULAGE operators in the UK and Ireland are setting up their companies in Bulgaria to take advantage of tax breaks.

It was initially feared that the lorry involved in yesterday’s tragedy had travelled from the eastern European country.

But Bulgaria’s prime minister Boyko Borissov yesterday insisted it had simply been registered in the country by an Irish woman in 2017 and had not returned since then.

The practice of setting up haulage companies in Bulgaria has become increasingly popular, with legal firms and online message boards filled with advice about how to do so.

EU rules allow British and Irish firms to register there while operating across the bloc, with companies attracted by the country’s 10 per cent corporation tax.

Haulage firms can also take advantage of a quick registration process with low administration fees, while costs to run a company are significantly cheaper.

New companies require a Bulgarian-registered haulage manager to oversee the firm in order to become established, but legal organisations online claim they can provide such people. Drivers can then operate across the EU using a ‘community licence’ for international road haulage.

Bulgaria’s land border with Turkey made it one of the main gateways into Europe from Africa and the Middle East during the migration crisis. But a number of measures, including the creation of a razor-wire fence on the border, increased patrols and the signing of an accord with Turkey, have significantly limited the number of migrants using it as a gateway since 2015.

Since the start of the year, 1,742 people have applied for asylum in Bulgaria, compared to 19,480 in 2016. The staunch anti-immigration stance of Bulgaria’s government and reinforced border security has further limited accessibility, although it remains difficult to determine exact figures for illegal entry.

Once inside Bulgaria, migrants often make contact with smuggling gangs and are shipped towards western Europe.

In the wake of the Essex tragedy, Channel 4 has postponed a new show in which Britons without passports try to smuggle themselves into the UK. The first episode of Smuggled was due to be broadcast next Monday night but will now be replaced.