The Bulgarian government undertook significant reforms to the economy in the 1990s, including within the tax system, resulting in strengthened growth. In 2007, Bulgaria joined the European Union and recent years have seen surpluses, growth in GDP and heightened investment.
Despite this positive trajectory, Bulgaria’s income per capita remains below average European Union standards, and income inequality is the highest in the European Union. Strengthened policies and legislation pertaining to the economy are needed to further bolster and sustain growth in the country.
Representatives from a range of judicial institutions convened in Sofia for a regional event aimed at improving the investment climate in the Western Balkans by increasing the uniformity of judicial practice in tax related cases.
IDLO, in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), launched a new program in Bulgaria that aims to improve the investment climate in the country through judicial training.
After Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union the national tax system underwent significant transformations. Wide-reaching reforms to Bulgarian legal codes - civil, criminal and commercial - were implemented, previously existing legislation was overhauled, and many new areas of legislation were introduced, requiring extensive re-training of the judiciary. To deal effectively with cases relating to tax, judges require a sound understanding of tax matters through ongoing and specialized training.
