Foreign citizens and foreign legal entities will be able to buy Bulgarian land if they satisfy the conditions arising from the country’s accession to the European Union, the Cabinet decided.

Foreigners can acquire land if they do so pursuant to an international treaty ratified by Parliament, promulgated and in force, or through inheritance.

This is set out in proposed amendments to the Law on Property Ownership adopted by the Cabinet on November 2. The right of citizens and legal entities of EU member states and parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area to acquire land ownership is required by Bulgaria’s EU accession treaty. The treaty defines two transitional periods - seven years for acquiring agricultural and forest land, five years for acquiring land for a second dwelling for citizens who do not reside in Bulgaria. In line with the treaty, self-employed farmers who are citizens of EU member states will be able to acquire agricultural and forest land for use as of the accession date.