Bulgarian citizens could soon gain direct access to investing their personal savings in government securities, under a proposed amendment to the Law on Government Debt submitted by GERB MP Delyan Dobrev. The draft envisages the Ministry of Finance issuing special tranches of government securities aimed specifically at individuals, at least twice per year.
According to the proposal, purchases would be made either through a dedicated online platform or at branches of Bulgarian Post. Investors would not pay any fees or commissions, as all costs related to issuing and placing the securities would be covered by the Ministry of Finance.
The draft provides that investors must hold an electronic signature. Applications and payments could still be submitted at post office counters, with Bulgarian Post acting as an intermediary. The postal operator would be compensated by the state for this service. The technical operation and administration of the platform would be regulated through a separate ordinance issued jointly by the Ministries of Finance and E-Government.
The initiative is presented as a way to offer citizens a secure and profitable savings option at a time when interest rates on bank deposits remain low. Government securities are described as a low-risk financial instrument with guaranteed returns, positioning them as an alternative to traditional deposits.
The proposal also recalls that until the summer of 2005, the Ministry of Finance regularly offered government securities to individuals. These instruments featured fixed yields or step-up interest, paid twice annually, and were sold through contracted banks in both Bulgarian leva and euros. In July 2005, however, the program was discontinued without an official explanation.