Our offices in Bulgaria - Petrich town

Meliton office location

Our head office is located in the heart of city Petrich, the most commercially strategic location of Bulgaria, just 15 km from the Greek-Bulgarian border of Promahonas and 154 km from Thessaloniki. 

We are looking forward to meet you in person and discuss the business issues that concern you.

Municipality of Petrich

General information
Municipality of Petrich is located in the southern part of Bulgaria and covers a territory of 650 sq. km. Its north-eastern border is with the Municipality of Sandanski and on the north with the Municipality of Strumyani. The international boundaries on the west and south are respectively the Republic of FYROM and the Republic of Greece. 

Petrich Municipality is an active crossroads between two seas. It is located 90 km away from Aegean Sea’s Thessaloniki harbor, where Bulgaria has a neutral sector for trading on the Mediterranean Sea as well as 380 km away from Vliora harbor in Albania on the Adriatic Sea. The Municipality of Petrich consists of 57 settlements, which includes the Town of Petrich itself and 56 villages. The first class road I-1 passes through the territory of the municipality and provides transport connections with the city of Blagoevgrad and the Republic of Greece. 

There are two border checkpoints in the municipality – Kulata with the Republic of Greece (road I-1) and Zlatarevo with the republic of FYROM (road III – 198). In the territory of the municipality there is also a railway transport, the railroad line Sofia - Thessaloniki as well as the secondary line General Todorov – Petrich pass through it. The telephone and mobile phone network cover almost the entire area of the municipality. There is access to a high speed Internet connection and an optical cable connection with Greece and FYROM. 

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We are looking forward to meeting you in person and discuss the business issues that concern you.

Bulgaria’s economic freedom score is 64.7, making its economy the 61st freest in the 2012 Index. Its overall score is down slightly, reflecting deterioration in freedom from corruption, government spending, and business freedom. 

Bulgaria is ranked 27th out of 43 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is above the world average but below the regional average.

Bulgaria has weathered the impact of the global economic downturn relatively well, with the economy supported by generally prudent public finance management. 

Continued reform to strengthen the foundations of economic freedom, however,will be indispensable in ensuring vibrant economic development in coming years. Lingering corruption and the weak rule of law have added to the cost of conducting business. Bulgaria’s transition to a more open and flexible economic system has been facilitated by substantial restructuring measures over the past decade. While maintaining macroeconomic stability, it has made considerable progress in income growth and poverty reduction. Competitive flat tax rates and a competitive trade regime, supported by a relatively efficient regulatory framework, have encouraged the development of a growing entrepreneurial sector.

Background: Bulgaria joined the European Union in January 2007 but has not adopted the euro. The center-right GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) party was the clear winner in the July 2009 parliamentary elections but relies on the support of a right -wing nationalist group, Ataka, to pass legislation.


In late 2010, France and Germany announced that they would block Bulgaria from joining the EU’s passport-free zone until it makes “irreversible progress” in fighting corruption. Tourism, agriculture, and mining, including mining of coal, copper, and zinc, are the leading industries.

Reversing previous growth trends, Bulgaria’s economy contracted in 2009 and stagnated in 2010. Bulgaria is involved in two rival gas-pipeline projects: Russia’s South Stream pipeline and the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline.

RULE OF LAW

Respect for constitutional provisions securing property rights and providing for an independent judiciary is somewhat lax. The judicial system is unable to enforce property rights effectively, and inconsistent application of the rule of law discourages private investments. Despite legal restrictions, government corruption and organized crime present a threat to Bulgaria’s border security.

LIMITED GOVERNMENT

The income and corporate tax rates are a flat 10 percent. Other taxes include a value-added tax (VAT) and an estate tax, with the total tax burden equivalent to 25.7 percent of total domestic income. Government spending has risen to 40.7 percent of total domestic output, leading to a higher budget deficit of around 4 percent of GDP. Public debt remains quite low at 17.4 percent of GDP.

REGULATORY EFFICIENCY

Launching a business has become less time-consuming, and licensing requirements have been eased, though the pace of change has lagged behind some other countries in recent years. Labor regulations are relatively flexible, although the non-salary cost of employees can be burdensome. Labor productivity has been slightly higher than wage increases. Most prices are determined by market forces, and inflation has been modest.

OPEN MARKETS

The trade weighted tariff is 1.4 percent as in other members of the European Union, with myriad non-tariff barriers sometimes nullifying the low tariff. Foreign and domestic investors are treated equally, but arbitrary bureaucracy is an impediment to more dynamic investment. Privatization of state-owned banks is complete, and foreign banks account for more than 80 percent of total assets. Credit is generally allocated on market terms.

Meliton At Glance - Start you Business in Bulgaria now

M

eliton Group is a consulting firm founded in March 2012 in Bulgaria. Our main focus is to provide with high quality of services in the field of business organization in Bulgaria. After the entry of Bulgaria into the European Union in 2007, a number of important benefits obtained for potential investors due to attractive business environment and investment opportunities it offers. For those reasons, Meliton Ltd encourages you to set up or to transfer your business in Bulgaria providing a full package with legal and accounting services. Our team care about your business future, with consistency and accountability to your investment.

WHY IN BULGARIA?

•  Low taxation of individuals 10% (Flat Tax)
• Corporate tax 10% (Flat Tax)
• 5% tax on dividends
• VAT 20%
• Minimum required capital for investment is 2 lev = 1 Euro.
• Tax refund within 30 days.
• 0% tax in parts of Bulgaria with high unemployment.
• 0% tax on intro-Community transactions.
• Stable banking system.
• Signing international agreements in force on the avoidance of double taxation in most EU countries.
• Avoid complicated tax systems.
• Bulgarian invoices are recognized across Europe.
• Multiple use of the company's activity.
• Short distance from important trading paths as Greece, Romania, Turkey
• Low insurance contributions.
• Low accounting cost.
• Low labor costs.
• Perfect use for e-shops and products for imports - exports within the European Union.
• 2 years VAT exemption for equipment imports and approved investment plans for over 5 million euros, creating at least 50 jobs.
• Tax depreciation for 2 years for buying new computers and production equipment.
•  Easy access to the Russian Market.