Crown Agents organised a series of specialised training events, which were aimed at enhancing the capacity of state administration to protect revenue and combat frauds. The trainings, delivered in the course of last quarter, were participated from experts from the National Revenue Agency (NRA), the National Customs Agency (NCA), the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders.

Improving the use of risk analysis in identifying and targeting revenue threats was the main objective of the three workshops delivered to members of the NRA Risk Management Directorate. They included strategic, statistical and tax gap analyses. The workshops were focused on the use of statistical techniques to assist in identification of strategic risks as an alternative to current practices.

Crown Agents also supported various anti-corruption activities of the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Finance. The advisors organised a dedicated seminar for the Inspectorate in order to develop quantification of the cost of corruption in the NCA and the NRA.

The training delivered to the NCA staff included introductory courses on systems based audit and basic audit techniques for members of the Post Clearance Control units in Burgas and Varna. Crown Agents also delivered a ship awareness course to provide officers with basic rummage techniques. The course covered legislation, health and safety, profiling and selection, boarding procedures, search theory and concealments.
Another specialised training was designed for recently appointed Leaders of the Customs Mobile Assurance Teams (MATs). It included a number of issues, essential for managing a team comprising of officers from various agencies: Role Models and Leadership styles, Honesty, Team Leader Skills and Qualities, Decision Making, Risk Management, Professional Standards and Tact and Diplomacy.

Crown Agents and the Directorate for Financial Intelligence /DFI/ organised a money laundering awareness training for private legal companies in Bulgaria. It was aimed at better understanding of the obligations of legal companies under money laundering legislation, so that they can evade accidental involvement in fraudulent activities. The training, participated by approximately 20 companies, was delivered by a prominent London lawyer who was brought and supported by Crown Agents.

The progress of the Programme for Modernisation of the Bulgarian Financial Administration was reviewed at the regular meetings of the Programme Management Council, established by the Ministry of Finance. The Council is chaired by Rumen Porodzanov, Chief de Cabinet of the Minister of Finance, and includes senior representatives from the revenue agencies. Crown Agents is represented by the Team Leader, John Brown. The Programme Management Council meets every month and Crown Agents attends to answer questions about the latest monthly report and also to discuss any other issues of interest or concern.

Project implementation was further reviewed at the quarterly meeting of the Programme Stakeholder Committee, a wider discussion forum chaired by Crown Agents’ Programme Director, Vivienne Davies.