As outlined by Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov in a report on his administration’s first four months, Bulgaria is strategically focusing on state concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs), reflecting a commitment to the long-term stability and sustainable development of the country’s infrastructure, economy, and public services.
By 16 June 2025, each ministry is expected to propose at least three projects that are not financially secured through the state budget. These projects will be included in the Action Plan for State Concessions 2021-2027, with the aim of structuring a long-term program to attract private investment in projects of national importance. The Plan is aligned with Bulgaria’s National Strategy for Concessions (2018–2027), which defines the key projects for achieving strategic goals through concession procedures.
The Bulgarian government is focusing on projects such as:
- Transport infrastructure – bridges over the Danube, tunnels under the Stara Planina Mountain, railway sections, and airports;
- Energy facilities – pumped storage power plants, dams, and hydroelectric power plants;
- Services and facilities of national importance – water supply and sewerage networks, and ports.
- Urban and municipal infrastructure.
The projects will be implemented under the "build–operate–transfer" model, which allows a private partner to finance, operate, and subsequently transfer ownership of the facility to the state.
The concession procedures will be carried out in partnership with international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the EBRD, and the European Investment Bank.
Support from such investors requires not only economic incentives but a stable institutional environment, rule of law, long-term predictability, and clearly applicable rules for terms of 30 to 40 years.
For more information on the PPP and concession initiatives, contact your CMS client partner or these CMS experts: Kostadin Sirleshtov, Managing Partner, Diyan Georgiev, Senior Associate.
