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Integrity Scorecard

2007 Assessment

Bulgaria: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Bulgaria: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Business Licensing and Regulation
Indicators		Score
67	Are business licenses available to all citizens?	94
68	Are there transparent business regulatory requirements for basic health, environmental, and safety standards?	100
69	Does government effectively enforce basic health, environmental, and safety standards on businesses?	58

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Are business licenses available to all citizens?

67a: In law, anyone may apply for a business license.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law on the Limitation of Administrative Regulation and Administrative Control over Economic Activity, rules on the implementation of this law, [ LINK ]

67b: In law, a complaint mechanism exists if a business license request is denied.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law on the Limitation of Administrative Regulation and Administrative Control over Economic Activity, [ LINK ])

67c: In practice, citizens can obtain any necessary business license (i.e. for a small import business) within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Interviews with Georgi Ganev, CLS, October 2007

67d: In practice, citizens can obtain any necessary business license (i.e. for a small import business) at a reasonable cost.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Interviews with Ventsislav Karadzov, freelance consultant, October 2007

Are there transparent business regulatory requirements for basic health, environmental, and safety standards?

68a: In law, basic business regulatory requirements for meeting public health standards are transparent and publicly available.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law on the Limitation of Administrative Regulation and Administrative Control over Economic Activity

68b: In law, basic business regulatory requirements for meeting public environmental standards are transparent and publicly available.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law on the Limitation of Administrative Regulation and Administrative Control over Economic Activity

68c: In law, basic business regulatory requirements for meeting public safety standards are transparent and publicly available.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Law on the Limitation of Administrative Regulation and Administrative Control over Economic Activity

Does government effectively enforce basic health, environmental, and safety standards on businesses?

69a: In practice, business inspections by government officials to ensure public health standards are being met are carried out in a uniform and even-handed manner.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: No media reports or academic studies of gross abuses and violations, or targeted inspections of specific businesses.

Peer Review Comments: The authorities, in some cases, ignore this when regulating businesses and other matters. Examples: the Suhodol area around Sofia where, for years, the trash from the Bulgarian capital has gone; Kremikovtsi Factory, etc.

Peer Review Comments: Some public opinion polls suggest that business inspections are still perceived by the general public as involving corrupt practices.

69b: In practice, business inspections by government officials to ensure public environmental standards are being met are carried out in a uniform and even-handed manner.

Score:

100

Comments: In my judgment, the authorities are still too lenient in the enforcement of standards. Some examples involve the big enterprises that present environmental risks, such as Kremikovtsi and Lukoil Neftohim, in addition to the tourism business around the sea coast and the mountains.

References: There are no reports of gross abuses.

Peer Review Comments: In many cases, the authorities simply ignore the environmental risks when regulating business and other matters.

69c: In practice, business inspections by government officials to ensure public safety standards are being met are carried out in a uniform and even-handed manner.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: There are no reports of systematic or serious abuses of power.