MPs Pass Transparency and Integrity Law, Also Known as the Lobbying Activities Act

Bulgaria’s parliament has passed the Law on Transparency and Integrity – widely known as the Lobbying Activities Act – in an extraordinary second reading, securing the release of €437 million under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). The funds are earmarked for hospitals, kindergartens, emergency helicopters, and the construction of homes for the elderly.

Georgi Georgiev, GERB–UDF, said:
"The sum Bulgaria will receive free of charge in exchange for adopting this law is equivalent to the costs of ongoing repairs and renovations in 80 of our homes for elderly people, where 5,600 of our compatriots currently live."

Parliament decided to replace the term “lobbying” with “representation of interests” to avoid negative public perception.

The law establishes a public register under the Audit Office, recording individuals and organisations that carry out lobbying activities for payment or represent foreign interests. The aim is to allow citizens to see who is influencing government decisions. Personal information such as ID numbers, dates of birth, and contact details will not be publicly accessible.

Atanas Slavov, We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria:
"The bill excludes lawyers on one hand and trade unions on the other, yet NGOs will be required to register, which leads to duplication since they are already registered with the Registry Agency."

The legislation also provides for penalties. Individuals conducting lobbying without registering face fines of €1,000 to €2,500, while legal entities risk fines of €2,500 to €7,500. Additional penalties apply for providing false information.

Opposition parties criticised the bill in the parliamentary legal affairs committee, calling it fragmented and incomplete. Despite this, it passed in the chamber with minimal debate.