The Association for Modern Trade (AMT) has expressed concern over the size of the sanctions imposed by the Commission for Protection of Competition, describing them as unprecedented not only for Bulgaria but also in the context of European practice. The organization warns that the lack of transparency, consistency and proportionality in regulatory actions threatens the stability and predictability of the business environment in the country.
In its position, the association emphasizes that it respects the institutional role of regulators and their duty to monitor compliance with the law. According to the organization, effective oversight of all participants in the supply chain and the balancing of their rights and interests should be among the fundamental principles of a functioning market economy.
As an argument in support of its position, the Association for Modern Trade cites data from the European Commission, according to which the total amount of all fines imposed in the European Union in the area of unfair trading practices during the period 2022–2024 amounted to €41.9 million across a total of 754 cases.
The organization recalls that it has repeatedly warned about the consequences of constant changes to the legislation in force. According to the association, these changes replace market mechanisms with administrative intervention in trade and create conditions for unprecedented pressure on legitimate businesses.
„Yesterday, this became a reality,“ the association stated, adding that a sharp deterioration in the business environment has been observed in recent months. According to the organization, this discourages investment, harms competition and does not lead to an improvement in consumers’ situation.
The Association for Modern Trade is calling for genuine and open dialogue between institutions and businesses. According to the association, the legislative and regulatory framework should evolve toward greater transparency, predictability and proportionality, in line with the principles of the rule of law and the market economy.