In an attempt to stimulate Foreign Direct Investment in Bulgaria the Cabinet succeeded in adding to Parliament's agenda amendments to the Investment Encouragement Act a week before the end of its four-year term. Bulgarian Parliament has adopted amendments to the system of granting government help to foreign investors.

Investors currently apply for first- (A) and second-class (B) certificates depending on the scale of the investment. Under current legislation, the state backs first-class certificate holders who develop projects worth at least 70 million leva with building adjacent infrastructure. Second-class investment certificates offer fast-track administrative support to investors who invest at least 40 million leva.

On May 18, Parliament decided to lower these thresholds to 32 million leva for first class certificates and 16 million leva for second-class certificates. Municipalities with an unemployment rate that is not below Bulgaria's average will issue investment certificates to investors who invested 16 million leva (class A) and 8 million leva (class B).

As for investments in high-tech sectors, the minimum amount required for granting a class A certificate is 16 million leva and 8 million leva for class B. Companies are required to present their financial reports for the current and the previous year. Another amendment stipulates that those with more than a 10 % share in the companies no longer need to present information about their overall current economic activity.

In the past the high threshold was one reason why only a little more than a dozen investors received government help in 2008.