site.btaBulgaria’s Score in Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 Is Country's Worst Since 2012 - Transparency International

Bulgaria has recorded a record-low score in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2025, falling to 40 out of a possible 100 points this year. The country ranks 84th out of 182 countries and territories, marking its worst result since 2012, according to the annual index published on the website of Transparency International.

The report states that over the past two years alone, Bulgaria’s score has deteriorated by five points - a statistically significant change that demonstrates the impact of the lack of decisive action against kleptocratic networks, years of superficial anti-corruption efforts, growing attacks on civil society, and the repercussions of the first partially annulled elections in the country’s modern democratic history. The closure of the Anti-Corruption Commission and delays in appointing leadership to key regulatory bodies have further exacerbated problems related to governance and accountability.

Within the European Union, progress in the fight against corruption remains stalled, with the regional average score standing at 62 points. Bulgaria once again ranks last among EU Member States, alongside Hungary. The lack of progress on key reforms, failure to implement international recommendations, and ineffective enforcement of anti-corruption legislation place the country in an unfavorable position both within the EU and in its accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The Corruption Perceptions Index has been published annually since 1995 and scores 182 countries and territories based on perceptions of public sector corruption. It draws on data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, think tanks and others. The scores reflect the views of experts and businesspeople.

According to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2024, global levels of corruption in Bulgaria were alarmingly high, and efforts to curb it were unsuccessful.