Bulgaria's parliament has passed changes to the Clean Ambient Air Act in second reading. They set out who enforces two EU regulations on substances that damage the ozone layer, and what powers they have. The final vote was due at today's session.
An individual who services or maintains refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump systems, fire protection systems and fire extinguishers containing ozone-depleting substances without a certificate of competence faces a fine of €511.29. The financial penalty is €1,022.58. Before the change, the fine was €511.29 (1,000 leva) and the financial penalty was €1,023 (2,000 leva).
See also: Parliament holds final vote today on changes to air quality law
The changes cover Regulation (EU) 2024/590 and Regulation (EU) 2024/573. The law names the bodies in charge and their powers. It also creates a new system of checks and penalties for breaches of the two regulations. Penalties are split by type of breach. By law they must be proportionate, deter offenders and be enforceable by the authorities.
Oversight of Regulation 2024/590 is split between several bodies. The environment minister, or an official the minister authorises, is in charge of chlorofluorocarbons, bromochlorocarbons and partially halogenated chlorofluorocarbons. Methyl bromide, which is used for quarantine, for treating consignments before export and for emergency use in farming, falls under the executive director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, or a person the director authorises. The defence minister or the transport and communications minister, or people they authorise, are in charge of halons for critical uses, depending on their remit.
The law also names certifying bodies. People and companies that install, repair, maintain, service, recover or decommission equipment with fluorinated greenhouse gases and their alternatives will need a certificate.
Progressive Bulgaria and the DPS voted in favour. One GERB-SDS MP voted against, and the other parliamentary groups abstained.
The Vazrazhdane group does not back the bill. Angel Yanchev cited a complaint from the Bulgarian Association for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, according to which businesses are worried about fines that are too high. "It has a nice name, about clean ambient air, but in fact it creates huge dangers for Bulgarian business," Yanchev said.
Stefan Sabrutev of Progressive Bulgaria replied that he could find no such organisation, and said it had no website. He said last-minute complaints do not sound serious, adding that there are two and they come from one company. He asked which sector is unhappy and said the bill was submitted in July 2026.
Tatyana Sultanova of We Continue the Change replied that there are four complaints and they come from many economic operators, not one. She said that at first glance the law looks technical and brings in EU rules, but it also covers imports and sales of air-conditioning equipment, inspections, penalties and oversight.
Mihaela Dotsova of Progressive Bulgaria said there had been attempts at insinuation. She said the Finance Ministry has been preparing the bill for several years and the public consultation took place in May. She said she had checked it and the text fully matches the regulation.
Vesela Momcheva-Taun from the same group added that the law does not give the administration the right to halt a business.