The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works has proposed merging the country’s level 1 statistical regions into a single region and consolidating the current six level 2 statistical regions into four new ones through amendments to the Regional Development Act, the ministry announced on July 7.
The proposed bill aims to ensure that national legislation complies with the new NUTS classification introduced by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/195. The regulation is binding and directly applicable in all EU member states from 1 January 2027. The NUTS regulation establishes a classification of territorial units for statistical purposes, ensuring comparability of regional statistics between member states and across different territorial levels.
Currently, level 1 includes two regions. One covers Northern and South-Eastern Bulgaria, while the other includes South-Western and South-Central Bulgaria. From 1 January 2027, they will be merged into a single NUTS level 1 region covering the entire territory of the country.
The law will also reflect changes to the planning regions. The existing six level 2 statistical regions — North-Western (the districts of Vidin, Vratsa, Lovech, Montana and Pleven), North-Central (Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Razgrad, Ruse and Silistra), North-Eastern (Varna, Dobrich, Targovishte and Shumen), South-Eastern (Burgas, Sliven, Stara Zagora and Yambol), South-Central (Kardzhali, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan and Haskovo) and South-Western (Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pernik, Sofia City and Sofia District) — will become four. The statistical boundaries will change, but the administrative boundaries of all 28 districts and the municipalities within them will remain unchanged.
The four new planning regions to be established are:
- Northern Region — including the districts of Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Lovech, Pleven, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Ruse, Razgrad and Silistra;
- Eastern Region — including the districts of Dobrich, Varna, Shumen, Burgas, Sliven and Yambol;
- Southern Region — including the districts of Sofia, Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Kardzhali;
- Sofia Capital Region — covering the territory of Sofia Municipality.
The proposed amendments are expected to contribute to improving state policy on regional development by aligning the legal framework with the new NUTS classification and adapting and strengthening the system of strategic documents in line with the new regional structure and the implementation of the integrated territorial approach. They will establish a clear and consistent legal framework for managing the development of level 2 regions, while taking into account the specific characteristics of the Sofia Capital Region.
The proposals also include amendments based on experience gained from implementing the integrated territorial approach, aimed at improving strategic regional development documents and the mechanisms for their implementation, as well as necessary changes to other legislation.
The Ministry noted that the National Concept for Regional and Spatial Development will remain the fundamental document for strategic planning of regional and spatial development. It will define the strategy for the development of the national territory and its links with neighbouring countries and regions.
Integrated territorial development strategies will be prepared for the Northern, Eastern and Southern level 2 planning regions, with the participation of stakeholders from the respective territories. The strategies will be approved by regional development councils, whose number will be reduced from six to four.
For the Sofia Capital Planning Region, an integrated development plan is envisaged. It will also perform the functions of an integrated territorial strategy for the region, in accordance with the provisions of the National Concept for Regional and Spatial Development and other sectoral and horizontal policies. The plan will take into account the region’s links with the other level 2 planning regions in Bulgaria and neighbouring countries within the macro-region.
The plan will define the medium-term objectives and priorities for the sustainable development of the Sofia Capital Planning Region, take into account development projections and investment intentions for its territory, and will be prepared in accordance with the general spatial development plan.
The law is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2027.
The proposed amendments have been published for public consultation on the Public Consultation Portal and on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works.
By a decision dated 26 March 2025, the Council of Ministers approved a new scope for Bulgaria’s level 2 planning regions. The aim was to bring the regions into line with European requirements for establishing a common classification of territorial units for statistical purposes.
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