Bulgaria Ranks 84th out of 182 Countries in Corruption Perceptions Index

Bulgaria ranks 84th out of 182 countries in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, receiving 40 out of a possible 100 points, according to data published by Transparency International.

This is the country’s lowest score since 2012 and is seen as a serious warning sign regarding institutional vulnerability and the effectiveness of the anti-corruption system. Over the past two years alone, Bulgaria has lost five points.

The average score for the European Union and Western Europe has also declined, from 66 to 64 points, with 13 countries registering a significant drop and only seven showing improvement. This highlights a widening gap between formal standards of good governance and integrity and their actual implementation.

Transparency International adds that although a legislative framework formally exists in Bulgaria, the practical enforcement of anti-corruption measures remains inconsistent.

Recent surveys cited by the non-governmental organisation indicate that corruption continues to pose problems for businesses in the country. Fifty-five per cent of companies identify corruption as a serious obstacle to their operations, while 89 per cent perceive it as widespread. This creates an environment in which businesses adapt to unwritten rules, and investment decisions are delayed due to uncertainty and a lack of predictability.

Transparency International further notes that the absence of consistent reforms, ongoing political instability, and limited institutional capacity continue to hinder the country’s progress in tackling corruption.

Without strengthening the rule of law, ensuring the independence of institutions, and genuinely enforcing anti-corruption mechanisms, Bulgaria risks deepening negative trends that affect both democratic governance and the country’s economic development, the organisation’s analysis concludes.