Bulgaria's Commission for Consumer Protection received dozens of complaints about unfair competition in its offices in Sofia and the countryside in one month only. Consumers often complain about vague terms and conditions in contracts signed with telecommunication operators and internet providers. People also complain about misleading announcements about price discounts, promotions, as well as misleading advertising. The Commission for Consumer Protection serves as an intermediary, which aims at reaching decision of compromise in favor of the Bulgarian consumers. In many cases, however, the claims of the citizens are not satisfied. Such is the case with Nikola Stoimenov from Bulgaria's capital Sofia who was expecting a full reimbursement of the amount he paid to a company for assembly of joinery. He contends that he received a poor-quality service and that the integrity of the facade was disrupted and as a result his flat was affected by moisture. The company which did the job disagreed with the damages described by its client. It came up with a compromise proposal to repair the damages, if the client agreed to provide access to his property. However, an expert's report was not made and Mr. Stoimenov preferred to refrain from initiating a lawsuit against the company.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy made an amendment to the valid legislative base, in order to provide more effective consumer protection. It launched the so-called conciliating commissions whose task is to solve conflicts between clients and business representatives outside the court.

“The main purpose of this move is to gather together the state institutions, the operators, the Bulgarian consumers and their associations, as well as the associations of the local traders. The idea is to reach permanent solution of disputes between consumers and dealers through mutual compromise and concessions”, Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Economy Daniela Vezieva told Radio Bulgaria. These commissions will focus on settling the problems in some of the most problematic sectors. Documents are examined and the commission is summoned free of charge. For the purpose, the citizens only have to provide enough evidence, the Chairman of the Commission for Consumer Protection Dimitar Margaritov pointed out and added:

“This is a step forward in the process which settles the disputes between producers and dealers which emerge on a daily basis. We repose our hopes on that and we are committed to working hard, in order to make those commissions popular and effective. Participation in a dispute between two parties is entirely voluntary. A statute about the activity of the commissions as bodies for alternative solution of disputes has also been adopted. Their normative base was adapted to the requirements of the European and the national legislation. The quest for justice, freedom and conformity with the law is fundamental during the solution of each dispute. The commissions are acting independently, although some representatives of Bulgarian supervisory and regulatory bodies participate in them. However, these members do not have the right to make mandatory instructions. These commissions will solve both national and trans-border disputes. We are talking mainly about protection of consumers on issues related to warranty responsibility, various unfair practices and the right to put in claims for given services”, Dimitar Margaritov specifies.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov