Bulgarians risk having their international travel passports taken away from them if they have unpaid dues to the tax, social insurance and other public authorities, the National Revenue Agency (NRA) said Tuesday. Since the start of 2010, NRA has collected the passports of 247.

Debtors to the public purse have their passport revoked only when they do nothing to settle their dues and avoid contacts with the revenue authorities.

Beginning this year, the passport is also taken away for unpaid dues - fines - to the traffic authorities which are also collected by NRA.

In addition to revoking the debtor's passport, the revenue authorities can also freeze bank accounts, destrain his wage or property and seize his car. However, these are measures of last resort applied where the debtor refused to discuss with NRA a settlement scheme.