Do I need to register as a lobbyist in Bulgaria if I contact MPs for my company?

Currently Bulgaria has not adopted a Lobbying act (there is just a draft which is under public discussions). That being said, contacts and meetings mentioned by you do not trigger any requirement for registration or for disclosure of information. You should only have in mind the general anti-bribery rules that always apply within relationships with public officials.

Kind regards,

Bozhikov & Vatev Law Firm's team.

Thank you for your important question regarding lobbying compliance in Bulgaria. The legal situation: As correctly noted, Bulgaria currently has no mandatory lobbying registration regime. The Draft Lobbying Act remains in parliamentary discussions with no clear adoption timeline. Your current meetings with MPs and ministry officials do not trigger registration requirements. However - and this is crucial for your company - the absence of a formal law doesn't mean absence of risk. Here's what you should consider: Immediate compliance steps: 1. If the nature of the discussions and contacts permits, document your interactions by creating a clear system of: which issue you sought assistance on, what your proposal was, how it was communicated, who the contact was with, and what the form of response was 2. The Draft Law may be adopted in the short term. Therefore, I recommend positioning yourself favorably through a proactive approach. My recommendation here is to establish rules for interaction with government bodies, such as: a form for submitting inquiries, a format for conducting meetings, a checklist of issues reviewed and proposals made, and other similar tools. I have experience in liaising with local and state institutions and would be happy to discuss your goals and interests in Bulgaria, as well as how to achieve them. Best regards, Snezhina Kovacheva Attorney-at-Law

Hello! Bulgaria does not have an adopted lobbying law, and such meetings do not need to be formally registered. A future law on this matter has only started to be discussed this year, and a draft bill is currently being prepared.

We would be pleased if you consider that we could be of mutual benefit. We have over 25 years of experience as a law firm.

Regards,
Mr Plamen Kirilov,
Solicitor, Sofia Bar Association