First topic message reminder :

Here is a debate for all us members to voice our opinions. It doesn't matter whether you live in the UK, Bulgaria or even Timbuctoo It should make some interesting reading, and the first thing I would like to ask is "what are the implications involved to UK citizens who live in the UK and have property in Bulgaria"



EU Membership: Reasons For And Against Leaving

There are pros and cons of Britain's membership in the EU. look at some key arguments on both sides of the debate.

There are strong arguments for and against Britain's EU membership

David Cameron has started negotiating a new deal with European Union partners ahead of a referendum on the UK's membership in the bloc.


Here are five of the reasons for and against Britain's membership of the EU.

Reasons To Stay

:: Millions of jobs are linked to our EU membership

As far back as the year 2000, it has been claimed that three million jobs rely directly on our membership of the European Union. The figure was even cited by Nick Clegg during his time as Deputy Prime Minister.

An analysis by Full Fact found that millions of jobs are linked to the EU, but said there is no evidence to show how many would be in jeopardy if we left.

:: Some of Britain's biggest trading partners are in the EU

Some of Britain's largest trading partners - including France and Germany - are in the EU.

More than 50% of our exports go to EU countries, and our membership allows us to have a say over how trading rules are drawn up.

:: It's easier than ever for us to work and travel abroad

Around 1.4 million British people live abroad in the EU, and having membership makes movement around the continent incredibly easy. Driving licences issued in the UK are valid in all EU countries.

:: Crime fighting

The European Arrest Warrant cuts out the need for long and complicated extradition procedures and allows criminals to be brought to justice across the EU.

:: Influence in the world

The EU is the world's biggest market and plays a big role in world trade, climate change issues, development projects and more.

It has the clout to take on multinationals such as Google and Microsoft. At the moment Britain plays a key role in the EU, and leaving would see us forgo that.

Reasons To Leave


:: Border control back in our hands

The flip side of the freedom of work and travel for UK citizens is that people from other EU countries are free to travel to and live in Britain.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage says any attempt by the Government to control immigration into the UK is futile as long as we are in the EU.

:: We could make a large membership fee saving

Like most clubs, the EU charges a membership fee, and it has been claimed that the cost is around £55m per day.

Analysis by Full Fact estimates the figure is closer to £24m per day when rebates and other receipts are taken into account.

:: Institutions are seen as lacking democracy

The European Parliament is directly elected, although the powerful Commission which proposes legislation is not.

Because many of these laws supersede legislation made by individual states' parliaments, some see the system as undemocratic.

:: Other countries successfully go it alone

Many Eurosceptics look to rich Norway as a country which trades with the EU without being in it. It also controls its own agriculture and keeps its fish, rather than being bound by EU quotas.

:: Get rid of any threat to Britain's military freedom

There is a push within the ranks of the EU's leaders for it to have its own army.

The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said earlier this year that it would help show Russia the EU was serious about defending member values.

In the past the British Government has been forced to block moves to create EU-controlled military forces

Fair points, but you are wilfully ignoring the most important one: regardless of how we might differ as nations, the fact is that the 56,000 inhabitants of Greenland were willing to take that plunge into the unknown and leave, and restore their sovereignty and above all, their fishing rights. Our fishermen have had their livelihoods decimated by the Common Fisheries Policy of the EU, which has allowed anyone and everyone to sink their nets in our sovereign waters. If we leave and restore our sole right to fish in British territorial waters, as Greenland did, then that alone represents a powerful reason to get out. But for me, the best reason to go is simply this: The horrible prospect of Turkish accession and all 77m of their citizens having the right to move anywhere they like in the EU.

Open your eyes UK people if Greenland can survive this stupid club just think how our great country will thrive once more free of the beaurocratics shackles of the EU BREXIT, you know it makes sense

We've a new prime minister and Britain's negotiations to leave the EU are top of her agenda.Right, except that that doesn't really mean anything. Leaving the EU is one thing, the actual deal you get is quite another. And Theresa May is about to try and solve arguably the most dangerous puzzle in international relations. Britain is a major market for European countries. The German car industry, among others, will be lobbying for governments to bend to keep it in the single market. And we have other things to offer too. Polish opposition to immigration restrictions, for instance, could conceivably be bought off by offering military commitments. So we're not exactly powerless. But the truth is most of the incentives are against us. EU member states don't want to encourage eurosceptic forces in their own country, so they'll want a tough deal, but who knows what May will do. The only real certainty is this: it sucks to be her.

Why does this article completely ignore the fact that Greenland is an autonomous colony of Denmark which is a member of the EU? Therefore Greenland has all the benefits of EU membership without actually being a member itself.

Hi All,
had the below in from my legal rep, thought it might be of interest to some?  Please Note the Bold words, and interpret accordingly.

Bill

British Citizens in Bulgaria: What Happens After BREXIT?

After BREXIT and its eventual approval by the UK authorities, the position of the British citizens who reside and/or have real estate in Bulgaria MAY be seriously changed.

IF Brexit becomes official and UK is no longer part of EU, the Bulgarian legislation will treat British citizens as non-EU citizens. In the present newsletter we will try to explain the consequences of such change and some of the most important differences between the legal rules that apply to EU and to non-EU citizens.

[b]I would like to point out that the explanation about the differences in Bulgarian legislation for EU and non-EU citizens is only a theoretical reflection and the actual situation will depend on the conditions under which the UK will leave the EU and on whether Bulgaria will amend its legislation to adapt it for all those hundreds of British people living in Bulgaria or having properties here.[/b]

British Citizens in Bulgaria: What Happens After BREXIT?
 
1. Right of entering Bulgaria

Presently British citizens without residency permit for Bulgaria enter Bulgaria according to the LAW ON ENTRY, STAY AND LEAVE THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA FOR CITIZENS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES where it is said:
European Union citizen shall enter and leave the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria with identity card or passport.

In case the UK will leave the EU British citizens will enter Bulgaria under the provisions of the FOREIGNERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA ACT where it is said:
A foreigner may enter the Republic of Bulgaria if he or she holds a regular foreign-travel document or another substitute document issued, as well as a visa if required.

It means that at least the Bulgarian won't be amended and/or in case Bulgaria will impose a non-visa regime for UK citizens the latter will have to obtain touristic visas /type C visas/ for entering Bulgaria.

2. Residency in Bulgaria.

Once again the UK citizens currently reside in Bulgaria according to the provisions of the LAW ON ENTRY, STAY AND LEAVE THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA FOR CITIZENS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES as in case the UK will leave the EU the UK citizens will be treated according to the FOREIGNERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA ACT.

The provisions of those acts are completely different as the major differences are as follows:
2.1. Grounds for receiving the residency permit:
For EU citizens:
- the foreigner is a worker or self-employed person in the Republic of Bulgaria;
- the foreigner has health insurance and the financial resources required for covering the expenses with regard to their residence and the members of his/her family, without being a burden to the social support system; the amount of the financial resources shall be specified by act of the Council of Ministers;
- the foreigner is enrolled at an educational establishment for the purpose of studying, including vocational training, and meets the requirements under the previous item .
For non-EU citizens:
- the foreigner is hired in a Bulgarian company and has received a working permit for Bulgaria
- registration of a Bulgarian company and creation of 10 jobs for Bulgarian citizens
- registration of a trade representation of a foreign company in Bulgaria and appointing of the foreigner as trade representative
- receiving of official pension outside Bulgaria which is confirmed by a special certificate of the Pension Fund of the foreign country
- the foreigner is a member of the family of a foreigner who has already received residency permit
- investment of at least BGN 600,000 (about 318 000 Euro) for obtaining of title on real estates on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria
- you may also invest no less than BGN 250,000 (about 127 823 Euro) to the capital of a Bulgarian commercial company where you are a partner or a shareholder with at least 50 per cents of the company's capital as the company must acquire new tangible and intangible fixed assets at the value of no less than BGN 250,000 and to create at least 5 jobs for Bulgarian nationals.
There are other grounds that are rather specific and due to this reason are not listed above.

I.e. non-EU citizens have to provide profs that their residing in Bulgaria is either economically profitable or that they will not plague the economy of Bulgaria.

2.2. Entering Bulgaria in regards with receiving the residency permit:
For EU citizens: with identity card or passport.
For non-EU citizens: with regular foreign-travel document and a special visa called visa type D as issuing of such visa takes up to 40 days and requires providing of a set of documents.

2.3. Obtaining of the residency permit:
For EU citizens:
- document confirming the ground for the residency,
- notarized declaration saying that the EU foreigner has enough funds for living,
- document/s proving that the foreigner has where to live in Bulgaria.
For non-EU citizens:
- Medical insurance valid for Bulgaria with amount of the cover not less than 30 000 Euro as this insurance should be valid for the period of the foreigner's stay in Bulgaria.
- Proof that the foreigner has where to live in Bulgaria - notarized copy of the title deed or of the rental contract
- Proof that the foreigner has a personal account registered in a Bulgarian bank and that the amount in this account is equal or exceeds 12 minimum salaries for Bulgaria /currently this amount is about 2600 Euro/.
- The certificate of no criminal record issued in the country of the usual habitation of the foreigner which documents should be translated in Bulgarian and legalised.
- Documents confirming the ground for the residency.

2.4. Cost of the state fees for obtaining the residency permit:
For EU citizens: 7 BGN for receiving the permit plus /optional/ from 18 to 36 BGN for issuing the residency card.
For non-EU citizens:
- 10 BGN for receiving the permit,
- 500 BGN per year - the state fee for the right for the residency permit
- From 45 BGN to 250 BGN - issuing of the residency card

2.5. Validity of the extended residency permit:
For EU citizens: 5 years /or till the date of validity of the international passport in case the passport expires before this term/. After expiring of those 5 years term the EU citizen receives a permanent residency permit.
For non-EU citizens: for 6 or 12 calendar month /depending on the document mentioned in 2.2 above/ but no later than 6 months before expiring of the international passport. After expiring of the extended residency permit the latter can be renewed as renewing requires the same documents and payment of the same fees as the status of the new permit once again will be extended residency permit. The permanent residency permit can be received by a non-EU citizen after 5 years of renewing and only under some certain conditions provided by the law.
The permanent residency permit can be received under other conditions requiring additional investments.

2.6. Permanent residency permit:
For EU citizens: A EU citizen can receive the permanent residency permit if he/she has resided permanently for a period of five years in the Republic of Bulgaria and meets one of the following conditions:
1. during the last year by the moment of termination of the contract has worked as an employee or as a self-employed person, has reached retirement age or a ground for earlier retirement appears with regard to him/her and has resided continuously in the Republic of Bulgaria for more than three years;
2. is a worker or self-employed person, who does not work because of permanently reduced capacity to work and has resided continuously in the Republic of Bulgaria for more than two years;
3. is a worker or self-employed person and is unable to work as a result of occupational injury or disease;
4. is a worker or self-employed person who has resided and worked continuously for a period of three years in the Republic of Bulgaria, working as such in another Member State, while retaining his/her place of residence in the Republic of Bulgaria, to which he/she returns at least once a week.
For non-EU citizens: /note: we are talking only about cases of receiving of the permanent permit after receiving of the extended residency permit/ A non-EU citizen can receive the permanent residency permit if
He/she has resided legally and without interruption on the territory of the country for a period of 5 years and for this period they have not been absent for more than 30 months.

3. Working in Bulgaria
For EU citizens: according to the Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of the Council of 15 October 1968 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community EU citizens in Bulgaria are treated as Bulgarian nationals, i.e. they have to work under labour contracts and have the same social and tax advantages as Bulgarian citizens.
For non-EU citizens: non-EU citizens who wish to work in Bulgaria must receive a special permit from the Employment Agency of Bulgaria and to receive a residency permit on the ground of this work permit.
Except some certain professions mentioned in a special list of highly qualified specialists receiving of such working permit requires holding of a special competition during which the employer must prove why he cannot hire a Bulgarian citizen or a foreigner from the EU or a non-EU foreigner with permanent residency permit.

4. Purchase of vehicles:
For EU citizens: EU citizens can purchase vehicles on their personal name after receiving of the residency permit for Bulgaria. In this case the period of validity of the registration documents of the car /the big and the small log/ is till the period of validity of the residency permit.
The other option is the foreigner to register a company in Bulgaria and to purchase the car on the name of this company.
For non-EU citizens: non-EU citizens can purchase and register vehicles on their personal name after receiving of the residency permit for Bulgaria and ONLY in Sofia /in this case the vehicle receives so called blue registration numbers/. In this case the period of validity of the registration documents of the car /the big and the small log/ is till the period of validity of the residency permit.
The other option is the non-EU foreigner to register a company in Bulgaria and to purchase the car on the name of this company.

5. Purchase of real estates:
5.1. Purchase of apartments and buildings: Apartments and houses /without land plots/ can be purchased by both - EU and non EU citizens.

5.2. Purchase of non-agricultural land plots:
For EU citizens: EU citizens can purchase non-agricultural land plots on their personal name.
For non-EU citizens: non-EU citizens /even those that have residency permit for Bulgaria/ cannot purchase non-agricultural land plots on their personal names.
The only option is the non-EU foreigner to register a company in Bulgaria and to purchase the non-agricultural land plot on the name of this company.

5.3. Purchase of agricultural land plots:
For EU citizens: EU citizens can purchase non-agricultural land plots on their personal name in case the EU citizen has resided in Bulgaria for more than 5 years.
For non-EU citizens: non-EU citizens /even those that have residency permit for Bulgaria/ cannot purchase agricultural land plots on their personal names.
The only option is the non-EU foreigner to have a company in Bulgaria registered more than 5 years ago and to purchase the non-agricultural land plot on the name of this company.
The only exception is achieving of land plot in case of inheritance.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] That was alread posted by BigDave on the previous page.

OOOpps, thanks Bg4me, should have read before I posted ... at least we have a reminder

Bill

Good to know the legal profession are keeping up to date. Thanks for updats guys

So its not really worth looking at any property in Bulgaria at this moment in time !

oldian wrote:

So its not really worth looking at any property in Bulgaria at this moment in time !

No hang tight [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and frankly the best advice I could give anyone is to rent in BG for at least a year see how you get on. Many English will be glad to rent out their property.

Thanks I never thought of that is it easy to rent a house for a month or so ,mind we have a dog(4 legged baby)who goes everywhere with us,not a problem in France we take him into restaurants bars etc is it the same in Bulgaria hes a Staffy I know some countries have breed bans France is ok Germany is not is there a site for renting houses

I can't comment on the renting aspect, but the dog question is something I do know about. Our baby is a Rhodesian Ridgeback (almost 10 years old now) and she goes everywhere with us...never have we been refused entry to a hotel, restaurant or bar because of her. She is, of course, taken out on a lead, but only because she hates cats and tends to want to get up close and personal with any cat she spots. With no cats in sight, most people wouldn't even notice her presence....nor would they care.

BREXIT BLOCK: EU bureaucrats tell Britain to PAY £20BN bill or we WON'T let you leave

BRUSSELS bureaucrats are forcing Britain to cough up a staggering £20BILLION before the country unshackles itself from the beleaguered bloc, it has emerged. Read more below:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Showing their true colours at last!!

More blackmail from the most corrupt organisation on the planet. Tell them to do one, they need us more than we need them and they will keep on dredging up these threats whilst we refuse to be blackmailed into submission.

Who do they think they are, we owe no financial allegiance to them, they have bled us dry for years, let them find some other patsy to fill their coffers