Bulgaria Publishes 7,000 Public Contracts Worth Over €30 Billion in Transparency Push

The Ministry of Finance has released a broad public dataset covering more than 7,000 public procurement contracts with a combined value exceeding 30 billion euros, Acting Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski announced during a briefing. The initiative is presented as a transparency measure intended to allow public scrutiny of state spending and contract execution.

According to Klisurski, the publication is aimed at identifying and potentially halting problematic procurement procedures. “We have already identified irregularities in some procurement contracts, but today we are publishing all of them so that citizens and analysts can familiarize themselves with them and investigate them,” he said, stressing that full disclosure is meant to support oversight.

The dataset includes information on concluded contracts, ongoing procedures, and those still in progress. Around 6,000 contracts have already been signed, while close to 1,000 remain under implementation or finalization. The ministry also provides details on payments, including advance transfers, which Klisurski described as particularly notable in some cases due to their size.

Overall, the state has already disbursed approximately 4.4 billion euros in advance payments. Significant portions of these funds are allocated to the Ministry of Defense and the Road Infrastructure Agency, where advance payments alone exceed 1 billion euros. Officials also highlighted that some procurement arrangements involve unusually high advance disbursements.

In total, active procurement activity across budget institutions reaches roughly 30.7 billion euros, with about 23.5 billion euros tied to already awarded and contracted procedures. Around 5.6 billion euros in additional payments are projected for 2026, according to the ministry’s breakdown. Data from 58 institutions was compiled to produce the consolidated overview.

The Finance Ministry noted that certain procurement data, amounting to about 7.6 billion euros, is partially summarized due to legal restrictions on disclosure. The remaining information is fully accessible through the Central Register for Public Procurement, which allows users to search individual contracting authorities.

Klisurski linked the initiative to broader fiscal oversight and budget planning, including preparations for the 2026 state budget. He argued that expenditure review is essential for controlling deficits and improving efficiency in public spending, pointing to procurement as one of the largest cost areas for the state.

“Only through more transparency will we increase the trust of citizens and society in institutions,” he said, adding that all citizens are encouraged to review the published information and report any concerns to the relevant authorities.

The full table with data on active public procurement can be downloaded in Excel format here.