Winegrowers in Pomorie Rally Against Ministry’s New Rules: Is the Future of Bulgarian Wine at Risk?

In Pomorie, a protest by local wine producers saw a motorcade of tractors, harvesters, and cargo trucks take to the streets in response to new requirements set by the Ministry of Finance. The new regulations mandate that winegrowers weigh their harvested grapes in the vineyards and submit real-time electronic declarations to the National Revenue Agency (NRA) detailing the quantity of raw material.

Protesters are calling for the removal of these requirements. They held signs reading "Regulation No. 5 kills Bulgarian winegrowers" and "Stop the repression against legal business" as their motorcade briefly obstructed traffic at the roundabout near Pomorie, heading towards "Sunny Beach." The demonstrators argue that the new rules are impractical, citing the need for scales, internet access, and laptops to submit declarations to the NRA, which could cause delays and inefficiencies.

Hristo Yankov, director of the country's largest winery, criticized the regulation for potentially driving business into the gray market. He argued that the cumbersome new procedures might push grape producers to seek unregulated alternatives.

Local officials also voiced their support for the protest. Pomorie Mayor Ivan Alexiev highlighted the lack of state support for winegrowers, suggesting that without local government backing, the sector might face further challenges. Yordan Chorbadjiev, Chairman of the Vintner-Winery Chamber, called for changes to the law, arguing that wine grapes should be exempt from the new regulations, similar to fruits and vegetables.