Bulgaria has disclosed details about companies with Russian involvement and their property holdings, but the exact extent and nature of their investments remain unclear, as stated by caretaker Minister of Justice Mariya Pavlova. During a parliamentary control session, MP Martin Dimitrov questioned Minister Pavlova regarding the types of land and agricultural properties owned by Russian companies in Bulgaria, emphasizing the significance of this information for the enforcement of EU sanctions against Russia.
According to Minister Pavlova's response, a total of 4,492 companies with Russian involvement possess land properties; however, the breakdown of these properties into categories like farmland, pastures, or forests is not specified. It was reported that 1,428 companies own a single real estate property, while 3,108 companies own multiple properties. Additionally, information revealed that 4,386 companies have acquired buildings or portions of buildings in Bulgaria. Notably, in August, Moody's data indicated that Bulgaria has 9,581 companies meeting the criteria of being at least 40% Russian-owned, positioning the country as the second-highest in the EU after the Czech Republic in this aspect, as highlighted by Sega daily.