The Parliamentary Committee on Regional Policy, Public Works and Local Government approved at first reading the bill amending the Regional Development Act. It provides for the six existing planning regions at level 2 to be replaced by four new regions – Capital, Northern, Eastern and Southern.
The bill was submitted by the Council of Ministers on October 20, 2026, and was presented by Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Desislava Georgieva. The changes are related to the European NUTS classification, as well as to the experience gained from implementing integrated territorial investments.
How the country will be divided
The Capital Region will include Sofia Province (capital). The Northern Region will comprise Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Lovech, Pleven, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Ruse, Razgrad and Silistra.
The Eastern Region will cover Dobrich, Varna, Shumen, Burgas, Sliven and Yambol. The Southern Region will include Sofia, Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Kardzhali provinces.
The draft provides for the entire territory of the country to be designated as one region at level 1. Alongside the new division, amendments are also being made to the Spatial Planning Act in order to align the strategic documents for regional and spatial development.
Special regime for Sofia
A separate regime is envisaged for the city of Sofia because the functions of a municipality, a level 3 administrative region and a level 2 planning region overlap.
No separate integrated territorial strategy will be drawn up for the Capital Region. These functions will be assumed by the Integrated Development Plan of the Capital Municipality. The document will be adopted by the Council of Ministers on a proposal from the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, after it has been approved by the Sofia Municipal Council and passed the necessary coordination procedures.
“The draft law is the first step towards launching the actual work on the integrated territorial strategies for the new regions,” Desislava Georgieva said while presenting the amendments.
Four regional councils
Under the bill, the number of regional development councils will be reduced from six to four. The council for the Capital Region is expected to include the regional governor of Sofia Province (capital), the mayor of the Capital Municipality, the chairperson of the Sofia Municipal Council and the mayors of the capital’s districts.
Following its approval at first reading, the bill will proceed through the next stages of parliamentary consideration. The published information does not specify a date for its final vote.