ion for registration. The statements for establishing the violations shall be drawn up by the mayors of communities, and the penal orders shall be issued by the mayors of municipalities or persons designated by them. The establishment of the violations, the issuing, appeal and enforcement of the penal orders shall be done pursuant to the Law on Administrative Violations and Penalties.Bulgarian intellectual property legislation has been strengthened recently, and now includes modern patent and copyright laws and criminal penalties for copyright infringement. Bulgarian legislation in this area is considered to be among the most modern in Central and Eastern Europe. Infringement of trademarks is a problem in Bulgaria for many U.S. manufacturers. While the law allows for confiscation of offending products, infringement is deemed a misdemeanor under the Penal Code and subject to a nominal fine that does not act as a deterrent to illegal activities. However, the competition law provides for fines of up to BGN 500,000 for companies, which use misleading packaging, trademarks or other signs, which injure the interest of competitors.Bulgaria made the most difficult part of the transition. The Stability Pact, a comprehensive regional plan for economic development, democratization and security, will lead to new and expanded trade and investment opportunities in Bulgaria over the long term. The U.S. Government vigorously supports efforts to bring Stability Pact benefits to Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Government will create conditions for opening of new jobs, for elimination of the bureaucratic obstacles and difficulties in business, for tax burden alleviation, for easier and quicker access to financial and material resources for development of production and trade. POLITICAL SYSTEM/ GOVERNMENTHaving fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and become a Peoples Republic in 1946. Communist dominat...
