site.btaProposed Restrictions on Homemade Wine and Liquor Production Spark Outcry, Government Pulls Back Bill

A recently proposed bill aiming to regulate the production of homemade wine and liquor in Bulgaria has been met with backlash, prompting the government to withdraw the legislation for further consultation.

On September 15, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture introduced a bill targeting the regulation of wine and spirits production. Among its provisions was a restriction on the amount of homemade wine that individuals could produce, and a requirement that the fruit used in such production must be grown by the producer themselves and may not be bought from another grower.

Homemade wine and liquor are deeply embedded in Bulgarian culture and tradition, with nearly every household in rural areas maintaining their own family recipes. For many Bulgarians, producing rakia - the local stiff drink - and wine at home is not only a matter of custom but also a symbol of heritage and self-sufficiency.

According to an official statement from the Agriculture Ministry, the feedback it got after the bill was published for public consultation indicated a need for further discussion and clarification of certain provisions. The Ministry pledged to engage in additional dialogue with stakeholders, including those for whom home production of wine and liquor is a traditional activity, to strike a balance between effective regulatory oversight and the preservation of Bulgarian customs.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov personally addressed the issue, emphasizing that there would be no restrictions on the quantities of wine and rakia citizens can produce at home. He criticized the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for failing to consult anybody about the bill nor making sure it is reflective of a clear policy. "Such limitations would affect a large number of people and it is unclear who would benefit from such a change," Zhelyazkov said. He said he had instructed Agriculture Minister Georgi Tahov to withdraw the bill immediately, calling the proposed restrictions “an affront to the age-old way of life of Bulgarians.”

The production and control of liquor, including rakia, fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, while the Ministry of Agriculture oversees viticulture and winemaking.

According to the authors of the initial bill of amendments, it was intended to align Bulgarian regulations with European Union standards and recommendations from the European Commission, updating the legal framework governing the wine and spirits sectors.