The government approved changes to the Regulations for Registrations, aimed at preventing property fraud and limiting the abuse of sensitive personal data. This was announced by the Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev at a briefing after the meeting of the Council of Ministers. He explained that the current regime allowed anyone who wished to request a copy of a foreign notarial deed without having to prove a specific legal interest.
According to Georgiev, the current regime has created serious preconditions for abuse. The Minister gave an example of a case from Sofia, in which a person requested copies of nearly 200 notarial deeds, without it being clear what his legal interest was and for what purpose he was collecting such information. According to him, it is these types of cases that show how easy it has been so far to access foreign property documents and sensitive personal data of citizens.
With the adopted changes, free access to notarial deeds for the general public is terminated, the Minister of Justice emphasized. He clarified that official access to the documents is preserved for notaries, lawyers, bailiffs and representatives of state bodies who have a direct relation to property transactions and judicial procedures. For all other citizens, a new order will apply - a person who claims to have a legal interest in obtaining a copy of a foreign notarial deed will submit an application, and the registration judge will assess whether to grant the request. A similar restrictive regime is also in force in other European countries such as France, Spain and Italy, Georgiev noted.
Free access to the electronic property inquiry is preserved after the changes, the minister clarified. From January 15, 2026, the price of the transaction will also be added to this inquiry, which, according to Georgiev, will increase the transparency of the real estate market and will facilitate the work of investigative journalists, as well as of citizens who check the real values of such transactions. He emphasized that the basic information about ownership and registrations remains public, but the sensitive data from the notarial deed itself - such as bank accounts, signatures and full personal data - will be better protected.
From the spring, the introduction of a new electronic service is planned - owners to receive an SMS notification when an inquiry is made for their property or a copy of their notarial deed is requested, Georgiev also announced. The aim is for citizens to be warned in time in case of suspicious activity and to be able to react quickly if they suspect an attempt at property fraud or undue interest in their documents. The Minister explained that the SMS notification falls into the wider trend for digitalization of services in the Property Register and for better protection of owners.
Georgiev recalled that restricting access to notarial deeds is part of a broader package of measures against property fraud. It includes the new law on arbitrations, enhanced checks on notaries and upcoming changes in civil and criminal legislation, aimed at stricter sanctions for participants in such schemes. According to him, the steps taken should gradually close the "loopholes" that for years have allowed the property mafia to take advantage of the gaps in the system.