site.btaParliament Extends Bulgarian Posts’ Universal Service Obligation by Five Years Starting December 2025

Parliament has approved a five-year extension of the period during which the state-owned Bulgarian Posts EAD will be responsible for providing the universal postal service, effective from December 30, 2025. The decision was made with the adoption of second-reading amendments to the Postal Services Act.

According to the amendments, delivering the universal postal service imposes an unfair financial burden on Bulgarian Posts EAD, and the company will be compensated by the state for this.

In its reasoning, the Council of Ministers, which submitted the proposal, notes that a restructuring plan has been developed to support the recovery and financial stabilization of Bulgarian Posts EAD. This plan has been submitted to the European Commission (EC) through the established procedure. One of the EC’s main requirements is for the Bulgarian state to guarantee that Bulgarian Posts will continue to provide the universal postal service for the duration of the restructuring plan. In this context, the proposed legislation extends the service obligation by five years from December 30, 2025.

The extension is also justified by the need to ensure state-provided postal services for people living in the most remote, hard-to-reach, and sparsely populated areas, thereby guaranteeing equal access to postal services.

Another key change is that the universal service obligation will no longer be imposed by law, but rather by an act of the Council of Ministers. Until such an act is issued, Bulgarian Posts will continue to carry out the universal service under the existing rules.

According to the law, the universal postal service must be available consistently, during set business hours, with high quality, affordable pricing, and accessibility for all users across the country, regardless of their geographic location. It must be provided on all working days, at least five days per week.

During the parliamentary debate, Tsoncho Ganev of the Vazrazhdane party criticized the bill, calling it lobbyist-driven. "The postal service is being deliberately pushed toward bankruptcy," he argued, adding that the state is capable of being a responsible manager. He cited the example of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), which he said used to be “a symbol of decay” but has been professionally managed in recent years.

Krasimira Katincharova from the Velichie party commented that instead of comparing Bulgarian Posts to their Austrian or German counterparts, "we are selling ours off piece by piece."

She said the postal service is experiencing the same fate as the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), noting that both companies serve important social functions.