Possible Measures to Improve Science Funding

Science funding as a share of the economy is à particularly important indicator of the quality and effectiveness of research, and at the same time gives a basis for comparison with the funds allocated in other countries. The main drawback of most studies examining the funding of science is that they provide abundant statistical information on the amount of funding, a percentage of GDP at home and abroad, good practices of funding in Western Europe and America, and a historical overview of the funding throughout the ages, but does not propose specific solutions to improve the current situation in Bulgaria. The article attempts to examine the status of funding of science and its development over the years, and specific recommended activities that would alter the critical level of allocations and the trend of science funding in the country to be one of the lowest within the EU. The purpose of this study is to propose possible and mostly admissible solutions that satisfy professional research staff and potential future investors, as well as revenue administration which actually appliers the solutions. The researched possible changes in legislation could raise funds by up to 16.6% of the current funds allocated for financing of science, without changing the predetermined budget for this. There are solutions that could partially be alleviated by changing the current state or additions to existing regulations in the field of taxation. Objects of this study are the laws related to taxation in Bulgaria and in particular the Law on Income Tax of Individual, Law on Corporate Income Tax, the Law on Value Added Tax, Enforcement Act Value Added Tax, the Law on Promoting Scientific Investments and how their changes would encourage investment in the industry.