RESTORATION OF OWNERSHIP OF FORESTS AND FORESTRY FUND LANDS ACT
Prom. SG. 110/25 Nov 1997, amend. SG. 33/24 Mar 1998, amend. SG. 59/26 May 1998, amend. SG. 133/11 Nov 1998, amend. SG. 49/28 May 1999, amend. SG. 26/20 Mar 2001, amend. SG. 36/12 Apr 2001, amend. SG. 45/30 Apr 2002, amend. SG. 63/28 Jun 2002, amend. SG. 99/22 Oct 2002, amend. SG. 16/18 Feb 2003, amend. SG. 36/30 Apr 2004, amend. SG. 30/11 Apr 2006, amend. SG. 13/9 Feb 2007, amend. SG. 24/20 Mar 2007, amend. SG. 59/20 Jul 2007, amend. SG. 36/4 Apr 2008, amend. SG. 43/29 Apr 2008, amend. SG. 91/21 Oct 2008, amend. SG. 6/23 Jan 2009, amend. SG. 80/9 Oct 2009, amend. and suppl. SG. 61/11 Aug 2015, amend. SG. 58/18 Jul 2017, suppl. SG. 55/3 Jul 2018, amend. SG. 102/23 Dec 2022, amend. SG. 102/8 Dec 2023
Art. 1. This Act shall regulate the restoration of ownership of forests and forestry fund lands.

Art. 2. (1) (Amend. SG 49/99) The ownership of forests and land included in the state forestry fund according to the Act on employment land ownership (SG 81/46), the Act on ownership and management of private forests (SG 292/47), the Act on management and use of forests (SG 71/48), the Forestry Act (Izv. 89/58, the ordinance - law for prosecution by the People's Court of the guilty for involving Bulgaria in the World War against the united nations and for the villainy related to it (SG, No 219 of 1944), the Edict for the obligatory pre-registration of the uncovered agricultural lands (SG, No 122 of 1949) as well as under the following laws, edicts and acts of the Council of Ministers, the State Council and the Presidium of the national Assembly.
(2) Restored shall also be the ownership of forests excluded from the state forest fund for rooting out but not rooted out.
(3) Restored shall be the right of ownership of forests and forestry fund lands confiscated with verdicts repealed in their part for confiscation.

Art. 3. (1) (New, SG 49/99) The right of ownership in forests and forestry fund lands f art. 2 shall be restored to Bulgarian individuals and corporate bodies from whom they have been taken away or to their heirs and legal successors.
(2) (New, SG 49/99) Restored is the right of ownership of the former members of the co-operative, partners or share holders or to their successors on the forests and the lands of the forest fund to forest-owning and/or universal cooperations and other corporate bodies written off from the registers after September 9, 1994, into ownership as shares of the reviewer.
(3) (New, SG 49/99)The right of ownership of the forests and the lands of the forest fund of forest owners and/or universal cooperations which have not been written off from the registers, transformed after September 9,1944, shall be restored to the former members of cooperations by the date of their transformation or to their successors, as co-ownership as shares of the reviewer.
(4) (New, SG 26/01, amend. SG 36/01) Partition of forests and lands restored in ownership under the conditions and by the order of para 2 and 3 shall not be admitted.
(5) (New, SG 49/99; prev. para 4 - SG 26/01) The uniting of individuals in cooperations or companies for joint management and using shall be carried out on the basis of restored right according to para 2 and 3.

Art. 4. (1) The right of ownership in forests and forestry fund land in their present status with location, area and boundaries by the date of taking away if the boundaries on the terrain by the date on which the Act entering into force exist or are restorable.
(2) (Amend., SG No 49/99) The right of ownership in forests and forestry fund lands which real boundaries cannot be ascertained is restored by equal in area and, where possible - in type of forests and lands of the state forest fund in the same area of the land of the populated area or in a neighbouring land within the limits of the municipality

Art. 5. (1) Restored shall be the right of ownership in forests and forestry fund lands to the former owners who have received indemnification for their properties as well as to former owners who have paid their debts to the state conceding ownership in their properties after they give back to the state the received indemnification or the extent of the paid liability.
(2) In the cases of para 1 the order, the conditions and the recalculations of the indemnification or the liabilities shall be determined with an ordinance of the Council of Ministers.

Art. 6. (Amend. SG No 49/99) The owners shall be indemnified in case of inexisting or unrestorable old real boundaries with forests equal in area, and if possible in type of forests and lands and in case of existing and restorable old real boundaries - also with equal in kind and origin forests in the cases when on their properties are located or the properties themselves are:
1. forests - exclusive state ownership;
2. forests and forestry fund lands conceded with a normative act to the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs for objectives connected immediately with the defence the civil protection and the security of the country;
3. forests and forestry fund lands included in reserves and conceded for construction, mining and energy sites., communication facilities, mineral water springs, open mine pits, quarries, buildings and other lawful constructions as well as for adjacent easement zones and/or terrains;
4. forests and forestry fund land conceded to commercial companies with state participation for implementing the subject of their activity and to departments, municipalities and public organisations for need connected with social recreation and tourism.

Art. 7. (1) Buildings apart from these of Art. 6, item 3 and 4, unlegalised till the Act enters into force, designated for economic and servicing activities and which are not ownership or co-ownership of commercial companies with state participation and do not represent buildings of departments, municipalities and public organisations for the needs connected with social recreation sand tourism, shall be possible to be bought out by the persons of Art. 3 on which land they are located if they are legalisable according to the regulations rules and standards of territorial and urban development in effect in six months after the restoration of ownership. The value shall be determined according to market prices determined with an ordinance of the Council of Ministers. The order and the way for valuation and payment shall be determined with the Rules on implementation of the Act.
(2) If the buildings of para 1 are not bought out by the persons of Art. 3, they shall be possible to be bought out by the state and the persons of art. 3 shall be able to be acquire the rights of art. 6.
(3) When the buildings are not bought under the conditions and by the order of para 1 and 2 in one year term after the restoration of ownership, the latter shall be brought to public sale by the order of the Civil Procedure Code.
(4) The citizens who have constructed buildings till August 17, 1990 apart from the cases of art. 6, in the forests and in the land of forestry fund lands conceded for use therefrom and who do not possess other villa property and when these buildings are destined only for satisfaction of personal household needs, shall have the right to acquire the ownership in the property paying to the state the value of the adjacent terrain in extent of one dekare if the buildings are legalisable according to the provisions, rules and standards of territorial and settlement development in effect. The value shall be determined according to current market prices determined with an ordinance by the Council of Ministers. The order, the mode and the time limits of the valuation and the payment shall be determined with the Rules on implementation of the Act. The persons of art. 3 shall be able if willing to acquire the value of the terrain adjacent to the building or to acquire the rights of art. 6.
(5) If the citizens of para 4 do not pay the land in three months term after the valuation the owner of the land shall acquire the ownership in the building if he pays it to the citizens who have constructed it at price determined with an ordinance of the Council of Ministers by an order and in a way determined with the Rules on implementation of the Act.
(6) When the value of the land and the building is not paid the building and the adjacent terrain up to 1 dekare shall be proposed for public sale by the order of the Civil Procedure Code.
(7) (Amended, SG, No 33 of 1998 SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) For acquisition of ownership at the conditions of para 4 the persons constructed the building shall submit an application to the municipal service for Agriculture at the location of the property and to the municipality till June 30, 1998.
(8) The persons of art. 3 shall buy at prices determined by the Council of Ministers legal or legalisable temporary buildings for servicing activities located in the forests and land of forestry fund lands under the condition that the term of their functioning could be extended to three years after the restoration of the ownership. If the buildings are not bought out the persons who have constructed them or their heirs shall remove them in three months term after the restoration of ownership and after the elapse of this term they shall be removed by the persons of art. 3.
(9) (New, SG 49/99, Amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The owners of buildings restituted after 1990 can acquire right of ownership of the normative determined adherent area by an order determined by the Rules on implementation of the Act. To acquire right of ownership the owners of restituted buildings shall file applications with the municipal service for Agriculture at the location of the property.

Art. 8. (revoked – SG 24/07)

Art. 9. (1) The owners whose forests and forestry fund land are restored under this Act shall not have right to indemnification for missed benefits.
(2) (Amend. SG 49/99, SG 63/02; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 61/15) The owners whose forests restored by the order of this Act are cut down after January 1, 1990 or where the utilisation of the wood from the state forests husbandry is carried out after November 28, 1997 shall be indemnified for the value of the timber obtained at felling at current market prices by the day this Act enters into force with personal compensation vouchers by the order of Chapter five of the Farm Land Ownership and Use Act.

Art. 10. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be conceded from the state budget.

Art. 11. (1) (Amend. SG 49/99, SG 99/02, SG 16/03; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 80/09; suppl. – SG 61/15, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The restoration of ownership in forests and forestry fund land shall be implemented by the corresponding municipal services for Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The decisions of municipal services for agriculture regarding the restitution of ownership and compensation of owners shall be signed by the head of the service, by officers nominated by the Director of regional directorate of agriculture and by officials nominated by the Minister of Agriculture and Food.
(2) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The municipal service for Agriculture shall restore the ownership in forests and forestry fund land by the order of this Act and shall implement other activities determined with the Rules on implementation of the Act.
(3) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) In the work of the municipal service for Agriculture and Food Supply for restoration of the ownership in forests and forestry fund land shall obligatory participate the empowered representatives of forests husbandries determined with an order by the Minister of Agriculture and Food.
(4) (amend., SG 26/01; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The implementation of the activities for working out the maps, as well as the other materials and data, whose necessity has arisen as a result of the implementation of the Act shall be assigned by the Minister of Agriculture the order of the Public Procurement Act. The assignment of the technical activities in connection with the maintenance and updating shall be carried out by the Minister of Agriculture and Food under conditions and by an order determined by the Rules on implementation of the Act. The materials and the data shall be stored and maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Art. 12. (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The Minister of Agriculture and Food shall determine the organisation and the structures of the municipal service for Agriculture implementing restoration of the ownership in forests and forestry fund land.

Art. 13. (1) (Amend., SG 113/98, SG, No 49/99, SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The persons of art. 3 shall submit applications for restoration of the right of ownership in forests and forestry fund lands at the municipal service for Agriculture at their location under conditions and by an order determined in the Rules on implementation of the Act. The term for submitting the application shall be by June 30, 1999.
(2) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The persons who have missed to submit an application in the term of para 1 shall ascertain with a claim to the municipal service for Agriculture their right to restore the ownership in forests and forestry fund land. On the basis of the decision taken the municipal service for Agriculture and Food Supply shall, observing the requirements of this Act, determine the land and forests in which is restored the right of ownership.
(3) (Amend., SG, No 49/99; amend. – SG 13/07) The right of ownership shall be proven by notarial and title deeds, notary certified written contracts entered in partition statements, court acts, and in their absence, by real property tax and tax registers, certificate for share holding in cooperations, farm cards and the lists to them and other written evidence admissible by the Civil Procedurel Code. If possible the application shall also be accompanied by a description of the real estate. May not be grounds for proving the right of ownership:
1. written declarations by applicants;
2. testimony of witnesses;
3. records for definition of "the subject of state forestry", issued on the ground of Art. 22 of the Forestry Act from 1922 and Art. 20 of the Forestry Act from 1925.
(4) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The owners of forests and forestry fund land whose right of ownership is restored under this Act shall simultaneously with the submitting of the application of para 1 declare in writing before the municipal service for Agriculture the circumstances of art. 5, para 1.
(5) (Amend., SG, No 49/99, SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The municipal service for Agriculture shall take a decision for the restoration of the ownership of the forests and the lands of the forest fund in existing, restorable on the terrain old real limits and/or new real limits within twelve months from the expiration of the period under para 1. The decision shall describe the size of the property, its location (area, limits, neighbours), the type and the origin of the forest and the restrictions of the property, stating the reasons for that. Attached to the decision shall be a scheme of the property and the taxation characteristics.
(6) (Amend., SG, No 49/99, SG 99/02, SG 16/03, amend. - SG 30/06, in force from 12.07.2006; amend. – SG 43/08) The decisions of the municipal service for Agriculture under para 5 shall be announced to the applicants by the order of the Civil Procedural Code and can be appealed within fourteen days before the regional court. The claim shall be filed through the municipal service for Agriculture. The court shall rule on the dispute in essence. Filed against the ruling of the respective administrative court can be causation claim before the district court by the order of the Administrative procedure code, which shall be considered by a jury of three judges.
(7) (Amend., SG, No 49/99; suppl., SG 26/01) The Rules on implementation of the Act shall determine the requirements for restoration of forests and lands of the forest fund within new real limits, the map for the restoration of the forests and the lands within the existing or restorable old real limits and the technical activities related to the working out of the map of the territory belonging to the settlement, as well as the requirements for indemnification.
(8) (New, SG, No 49/99) In cases of dispute on material rights the interested persons shall exercise their rights by court order.
(9) (New, SG 26/01, amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The municipal service for Agriculture can correct, by its initiative, or upon request of the interested persons obvious factual mistakes admitted in their decisions under this article.
(10) (New, SG, No 49/99; prev. para 9 - SG 26/01, amend. SG 99/02, amend. SG 16/03; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 80/09; amend. – SG 61/15, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) In case of finding out of offences under this Act and of the Rules on implementation of the Act, of new circumstances or of new written proof of substantial importance for ruling the decision under para 6 within one year from the discovery of the violations, of the new circumstances or of the new written proof, but not later than three years from the ruling of the decision of the municipal service for Agriculture under para 5, the Minister of Agriculture and Food at his/her initiative or upon request of interested persons shall withdraw the decision of the municipal office of agriculture or directs the municipal office of agriculture to amend it. This order shall not apply when, for the same lands there is an enacted court decision.
(10a) (new - SG 55/18) The terms under par. 10 do not run when the decision of the municipal agricultural office is issued in violation of Art. 16, para. 3 of the Act on Waters.
(11) (New, SG 26/01) The decisions under para 9 and 10 shall be announced and appealed by the order of para 6.
(12) (New, SG 26/01) In the cases under para 2, 6 and 11 the right of ownership shall be restored by the order of art. 4.
(13) (New, SG, No 49/99; prev. para 10 - SG 26/01, amend. SG 99/02, amend. SG 16/03; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The municipal service for Agriculture shall be represented in the court by its chief, deputy chief or by an authorised person with a degree in law or by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
(14) (New, SG 49/99; prev. para 11 - SG 26/01, amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) Entry into possession of the owners shall be carried out by the municipal service for Agriculture in the presence of a representative of the respective state forests husbandry within six months from the enactment of the decision for restoration of the right of ownership or of the court decision.
(15) (New, SG 26/01, SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08; suppl. - SG 91/08; amend. – SG 6/09) The forests and the lands of the state forest fund shall be established officially by the municipal service for Agriculture.

Art. 13a. (New, SG 26/01) (1) The enacted decision under art. 13, para 5, accompanied by a plan of the property shall establish the right of ownership and shall have the force of a notary act of establishment of ownership of the property, except in the cases when:
1. the forests and the lands are located within the construction limits of the settlements;
2. the decision under art. 3, para 2 and 3 does not indicate the size of the ideal parts.
(2) When the evidence under art. 13, para 3 cannot determine the size of the ideal parts in the cases under art. 3, para 2 and 3 their establishment can be made on the grounds of an agreement with a notary certification of the signatures between the former members of cooperation or their legatees.
(3) When the decision restores the right of ownership of forests and lands of the forest fund of a deceased owner the decision shall be issued for all his legatees. The shares of the legatees shall be determined according to the Inheritance Act without stating them in the decision.

Art. 13b. (new - SG 91/08) (1) (amend. – SG 6/09) The affected persons shall be compensated with agricultural lands and with forests and lands from the forestry fund in case of rectification of an obvious error.
(2) An obvious error shall be the discrepancy between the permanent topographical components photographed on the terrain and/or the real situation and their indication in the plan.
(3) The order and conditions for rectification of an obvious error shall be specified in the Rules on implementation of the Act.

Art. 14. (Amend., SG, No 49/99) (1) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The persons who do not possess documents for right of ownership according to Art. 13, para 3 due to their loosing or destruction beyond their responsibility shall file application for restoration of the right of ownership of forests and lands of the forest fund in the municipal service for Agriculture at the location of the property by October 31, 1999.
(2) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The municipal service for Agriculture shall enter in a separate register the applications under para 1.
(3) (amend. SG 99/02, amend. SG 16/03; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The Minister of Agriculture and Food shall establish by an order regional commissions which shall carry out inspection related to the filed applications by the persons under para 1 consisting of: chairman - member of the respective district court, appointed by its chairman, and members: representative of the regional administration appointed by the respective regional governor, representative of the respective municipality, appointed by the municipal council, representative of the regional directorate of the forests and a representative of the state forests husbandry. Drawn in the work of the commission shall also be a representative of the respective municipal service for Agriculture.
(4) (Suppl., SG 26/01, amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The regional commission shall carry out on the spot an inquiry regarding all applications under para 1, shall take decisions on them and shall issue written statement for every territory belonging to the settlement which shall describe the issued decisions. The written statement shall be submitted by March 31, 2001 to the municipal service for Agriculture by the order of the Civil Procedure Code and shall be obligatory for it.
(5) (Amend., SG 26/01, amend. - SG 102/23) The restoration of the right of ownership of the persons under para 1 shall be carried out within the limits of the private forests and lands of the forest fund determined by a decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and state property according to Art. 20 of the Forestry Act (SG, No 124 of 1925) or other available documents and/or maps.
(6) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The municipal service for Agriculture, on the grounds of the decisions of the regional commission under para 3 shall, within six months from their receipt, issue decisions to the persons under para 1. Described in the decisions shall be the size of the property, its location, the type and the origin of the forest. Applied to the decisions shall be a scheme of the property and the taxation characteristics.
(7) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The decisions of the municipal service for Agriculture under para 6 shall be final and shall not be subject to appeal.
(8) In case of a dispute on material right the interested persons shall exercise their right by the general order of appeal.
(9) The conditions and the order of the work of the commissions under para 3 shall be settled by the Rules on implementation of the Act.

Art. 14a. (New, SG, No 49/99; suppl. - SG 91/08; amend. – SG 6/09) The state shall manage and use the forests and the lands of the forest fund having remained after the restoration of the rights of the owners, including in respect of forests under Art. 2, par. 1 of the Forestry Act, which were forests prior to the nationalisation of the forests in 1947.

Art. 15. (1) (prev. text of Art. 15 – SG 13/07) The procedures of this Act for restoration of the ownership in forests and forestry fund land shall be free of charge.
(2) (new – SG 13/07; amend. – SG 43/08) Summoned in the cases as per Art. 13, para 2, 6 and 11 shall be the regional directorate of the forests, as well as the state forests husbandry or the state game husbandry at the location of the estate.
(3) (new – SG 13/07; amend. – SG 43/08) Summoned in the cases for forests and lands of the state forest fund pursuant to Art. 13, para 8 shall be the regional directorate of the forests, the state forests husbandry or the state game husbandry at the location of the estate.
(4) (new – SG 13/07; amend. – SG 59/07, in force from 01.03.2008; amend. – SG 43/08) The regional directorate of the forests may be represented before court by the persons referred to in Art. 30, para 3 and Art. 32, item 1 and 3 of the Civil Procedure Code, as well as by a person with a degree in law, authorised by the director of the regional directorate of the forests, the said person being in legal terms of employment with the respective state forests husbandry or the respective state game husbandry.
(5) (new – SG 13/07; amend. – SG 59/07, in force from 01.03.2008; amend. – SG 43/08) The state forests husbandry or the state game husbandry may be represented before court by the persons referred to in Art. 30, para 3 and Art. 32, item 1 and 3 of the Civil Procedure Code, as well as by a person with a degree in law, authorised by the director, the said person being in legal terms of employment with the respective regional directorate of the forests.

Art. 16. (Amend., SG 26/01) The owners of lands and forests reinstated by the order of this Act shall be exempt from state, state notarial fees and local taxes and fees for voluntary partition and administering transactions with lands and forests for a period of 5 years, considered from the enactment of the decision for reinstatement of the right of ownership.

Art. 17. (1) (Prev text of art. 17 - amend., SG 45/02, SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The persons possessing information and mapping material about the territories belonging to the settlements and about the state forest fund shall be obliged to present them at request by the municipal service for Agriculture gratuitously, being paid for the services for copying, the value of the materials used for working them out, and the postage fees. The use of these materials shall be done according to the legally established order.
(2) (New, SG 45/02) In the cases when the information under para 1 is classified information it shall be submitted under the conditions and by the order of the Protection of Classified Information Act.

Art. 18. (1) (amend. – SG 43/08; prev. text of Art. 18, amend. - SG 91/08) The owners which right of ownership in forests and forestry fund land is restored, shall be obliged to register them at the corresponding state forests husbandries and to manage them according to the Forestry Act and other special Act.
(2) (new - SG 91/08) To registration under Para 1 shall be subject afforested and self-afforested lands, the ownership in which is restored and being under restriction regime "managed under the Forestry Act".

Art. 19. (amend. SG 63/02) (1) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) In the forests and the forestry fund land, for which there is no entered into force decision of the municipal service for Agriculture for restoration of the ownership, except the cases of para 3, sanitary felling shall be carried out.
(2) (amend. – SG 43/08) In one year term after the entering into possession the owners – state forests husbandries shall afforest for their account:
1. (amend. – SG 43/08) the forests, cut by the forestry or by the state forests husbandries after January 1, 1990;
2. the forests, damaged by natural disasters till the entering of their owners into possession, where the state has taken the timber.
(3) (amend. SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) In the cases when the applicant has appealed against the refusal of the municipal service for Agriculture to restore his right of ownership, the state forests husbandry shall implement the activities, provided in the forest development plans till the solution of the dispute with a court decision, entered into force.
(4) (amend. – SG 43/08) In the cases of para 3 after the resolving of the dispute with a court decision, entered into force, the incomes, realised from implemented activities, shall be conceded to the state forests husbandry upon written request by the owner, after the incurred expenses, made by the state forests husbandry for implementation of the activities, provided in the forest development plans, are discounted.

Art. 20. (amend. – SG 61/15) At request by the owners the forests and the forestry fund land in which the right of ownership has been restored shall be taken away with an order by the mayor from the persons using them without legal ground, by the order of art. 34 of the Farm Land Ownership and Use Act.

Art. 21. (1) A person who disintegrates, damages or moves a permanent sign for demarcation of the control network and the boundaries of a forest property shall be punished with a fine from 250 to 500 lv.
(2) When the breach of para 1 has been committed by an employee of a corporate body to its chief shall be imposed a fine from 1 000 lv to 2 000 lv and to the corporate body shall be imposed a proprietary sanction from 2 000 to 5 000 lv.

Art. 22. The official who does not fulfil his obligations under this Act shall be punished with a fine from 150 to 500 lv.

Art. 23. (3) A person who without a legal ground uses a forest property with restored right of ownership shall be punished with a fine from 200 to 1 000 lv.
(2) A person who does not fulfil the order for taking away the property of art. 20 shall be punished with a fine from 200 to 1 000 lv.

Art. 24. (1) (amend. – SG 26/02; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The breaches of the previous arts. shall be ascertained with acts of the officials determined by the Minister of Agriculture and Food.
(2) (amend. – SG 26/01; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The punitive decisions shall be issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Food or by an official empowered by him.
(3) The fines shall be paid to the account of the National fund "Bulgarian forest"
(4) The establishing of the breaches, the issuing, the appeals against and the implementation of the punitive provisions shall be implemented by the order of the Administrative Violations and Penalties Act.

Additional provisions

§ 1. In the sense of this Act:
1. (amend., SG 26/01) "forestry fund" shall be any territory out of the construction boundaries of settlements determined with detailed development plan or a surrounding polygon, destined mainly for forests and comprised by: forests, bushes land for afforestation, non producing timber land;
2. the state forestry fund shall be comprised by the forests and the forestry fund land being state ownership;
3. "forest" shall be any land with forest vegetation.
4. "land" shall be any area of the forestry fund not taken by forest vegetation;
5. "kind of forest" shall be the coniferous, the deciduous and mixed forest and according to origin - seed and sprout forest;
6. "timber non producing land in the forestry fund" shall be: meadows, fields, eroded soils, forest roads and cearing morains, rumbles, screes, pits, quaries, refuse depots, areas taken by buildings in the forests and yards, forest nurseries etc., as water sources and areas;
7. (amend. SG 49/99, amend. SG 16/03) "forests - exclusive state ownership" are the forests and the lands in the protected territories determined with the Protected Areas Act; the islands in the border rivers, forests and lands in the zones of strict guarding of the water and the water collection installations, the seed production gardens, the geographic forests and dendrariums.
8. (New, SG, No 49/99) "section" is a limited forest area by permanent natural limits, instrumentally measured on the terrain.
9. (New, SG 26/01) the documents for the right of ownership in the cases under art. 14, para 1 shall be considered lost or destroyed, not through the fault of the owners when such documents do not exist for the land or a part of it.

§ 1a. (new – SG 26/01; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The authority of the Minister of Agriculture and Food on the implementation of the Act can be exercised by persons authorised in writing by him.

Transitional and concluding provisions

§ 2. (1) Terminated shall be the right to use forests and forestry fund land provided to individuals with acts of the Presidium of the National Assembly, the State Council and the Council of Ministers.
(2) The individuals found at the entering of the Act into force to use forests and/or land of the state forest fund, and after the restoration of ownership - also the municipal forest fund by the force of acts of para 1 shall be able to continue their use against payment of a fee established and paid by an order and mode determined in the Rules on implementation of the Act. In these cases the extent of the used forest and/or forestry fund land shall not be possible to exceed 1 dekare.

§ 3. (1) (New, SG, No 49/99) At disposition dealings or subdivision of restored co-owned forests and forestry fund land the real shares shall not be possible to be less than 1 dekare. 
(2) (revoked, SG 26/01)
§ 4. The term of art. 13, para 1 for the owners or their heirs whose forests and forestry fund land have been confiscated with verdicts repealed in their part for confiscation shall start at the moment when the decision for repealing has entered into force but not earlier than the Act enters into force.

§ 4a. (Amended, SG, 133/98, SG 99/02; amend. – SG 43/08) The municipal service for Agriculture shall take decision on requests for restoration of forests and lands falling within the limits of national parks after the determination of the limits under § 4 of the Protected Areas Act.

§ 4b. (new – SG 16/03; revoked – SG 13/07).

§ 5. (amend. – SG 13/07) (1) By the order of this Act shall not be restored the real right to use, granted to natural and legal persons and municipalities prior to the entry into force of the Law on Management and Use of the Forests (prom. - SG 71/48; revoked – SG 89/58), including "baltalutci", "kushlatci" и "jailatci".
(2) This Act shall not apply to persons, whom the state has granted land and forests for eternal use.

§ 5a. (new – SG 13/07; amend. – SG 43/08, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) Where the terms under Art. 13, para 10 have expired, the Minister of Agriculture and Food or the interested persons may submit a request within a period of six months from the entry into force of this Act. The municipal service for Agriculture shall pronounce with a decision in three-month term.

§ 5b. (new – SG 13/07) (1) The claims referred to in Art. 13, para 2 shall be filed in there-month term from the entry into force of this Act.
(2) The pending proceedings pursuant to Art. 13, para 2 shall be finished under the conditions and following the procedure of this Act.

§ 6. The heirs to which is restored the right of ownership in forests and forestry fund land shall be exempt from inheritance tax.

§ 7. (amend. – SG 26/01; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The Minister of Agriculture and Food shall promulgate in State Gazette the territories of the settlements where the restoration of ownership in double jurisdiction land along the borders of the Republic of Bulgaria is postponed till the settlement of the issues at state level.

§ 8. (Amend., SG 26/01) (1) (Amend., SG 26/01) The owners of forests whose right of ownership cannot be reinstated by the order of art. 4, as well as those whose forests are included in the state forest fund for uprooting or uprooted, shall be indemnified by equal to the ceased in size, and where possible - by equal in type forests and lands of the state forest fund.
(2) (New, SG 26/01, amend. SG 99/02) The applications for reinstatement of the right of ownership of afforestated or self-afforestated farm lands, as well as of farm lands included in the state forest fund, filed with the municipal service for Agriculture and Food Supply by the order of the Farm Land Ownership and Use Act, shall be considered applications for reinstatement of ownership of forests and lands by the order of para 1.

§ 9. (1) (Amend., SG, No 49/99; prev. § 9 – SG 26/01) The right of ownership of forests located within the construction limits of the settlements which is not restored in another way, of agricultural lands, planted or self-planted, as well as of agricultural lands included in the state forest fund shall be restored under the conditions and by the order of this Act.
(2) (new – SG 26/01, amend. – SG 99/02, amend. – SG 43/08; amend. – SG 61/15) The applications for restoration of the right of ownership on afforested or on self-afforested agricultural lands, as well as on agricultural lands, included in the state forests fund, submitted to the municipal service of agriculture under the provisions of the Farm Land Ownership and Usage Act, shall be deemed as applications for restoration of ownership on forests and lands under the provision of par. 1.

§ 10. The Council of Ministers shall issue a Rules for the implementation of the Act in one month after the Act enters into force.

§ 11. (amend. – SG 26/01; amend. – SG 36/08; amend. – SG 80/09, amend. – SG 58/17, in force from 18.07.2017, amend. – SG 102/22, in force from 01.01.2023, amend. - SG 102/23) The implementation of the Act shall be assigned to the Minister of Agriculture and Food.
The Act is passed by the 38-th National Assembly on November 11, 1997 and is affixed with the state seal.

Transitional and concluding provisions

§ 14. Subject to restoration shall be the right of ownership of persons whose forests and lands of the forest fund have been confiscated by virtue of the Ordinance-Law for prosecution by the People's Court of the guilty for involving Bulgaria in the World War against the united nations and for the villainy related to it (SG, No 219 of 1944).

§ 15. (amend. SG 99/02) The persons under Art. 7, para 9 shall file applications to the municipal service for Agriculture and Food Supplys within six months from the enactment of this Act.

§ 16. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Supply shall issue order according to Art. 14, para 3 within two months from the enactment of this Act.

§ 17. The Council of Ministers shall, within one month from the entry into force of this Act, amend and supplement the Rules on implementation of the Act. The Act is passed by the 38-th National Assembly on November 11, 1997 and is affixed with the state seal.

Transitional provisions
(SG 26/01)
§ 10. (amend. SG 36/04) The municipal service for agriculture and forests shall reinstate the ownership of forests and lands of the forest fund by the order of the Act, shall maintain and update the map of the reinstated property and the other materials and data obtained by the implementation of the Act, issue plans for carrying out administering transactions and partition of forests and lands of the forest fund prior to the approval of a cadastral map and cadastral registers for the corresponding territory by the order of the Cadastre and Property Register Act.

§ 11. The pending cases under art. 13, para 2 shall be concluded by the order of this Act.

Transitional provisions
(SG 63/02)
§ 3. The recognised right to indemnification with personal compensation vouchers, except art. 9, para 2, before the Act amending and Supplementing the Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act (Prom. SG 26/01; amen. SG 36/01) shall be considered as recognised right to indemnification with forests and forestry fund land.

Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE CODE
(PROM. – SG 30/06, IN FORCE FROM 12.07.2006)

§ 142. The code shall enter into force three months after its promulgation in State Gazette, with the exception of:
1. division three, § 2, item 1 and § 2, item 2 – with regards to the repeal of chapter third, section II "Appeal by court order", § 9, item 1 and 2, § 15 and § 44, item 1 and 2, § 51, item 1, § 53, item 1, § 61, item 1, § 66, item 3, § 76, items 1 – 3, § 78, § 79, § 83, item 1, § 84, item 1 and 2, § 89, items 1 - 4§ 101, item 1, § 102, item 1, § 107, § 117, items 1 and 2, § 125, § 128, items 1 and 2, § 132, item 2 and § 136, item 1, as well as § 34, § 35, item 2, § 43, item 2, § 62, item 1, § 66, items 2 and 4, § 97, item 2 and § 125, item 1 – with regard to the replacement of the word "the regional" with the "administrative" and the replacement of the word "the Sofia City Court" with "the Administrative court - Sofia", which shall enter into force from the 1st of May 2007;
2. paragraph 120, which shall enter into force from the 1st of January 2007;
3. paragraph 3, which shall enter into force from the day of the promulgation of the code in State Gazette.

Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE
(PROM. – SG 59/07, IN FORCE FROM 01.03.2008) 
§ 61. This code shall enter into force from 1 March 2008, except for:
1. Part Seven "Special rules related to proceedings on civil cases subject to application of European Union legislation"
2. paragraph 2, par. 4;
3. paragraph 3 related to revoking of Chapter Thirty Two "a" "Special rules for recognition and admission of fulfillment of decisions of foreign courts and of other foreign bodies" with Art. 307a – 307e and Part Seven "Proceedings for returning a child or exercising the right of personal relations" with Art. 502 – 507;
4. paragraph 4, par. 2;
5. paragraph 24;
6. paragraph 60,
which shall enter into force three days after the promulgation of the Code in the State Gazette.

Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE ACT ON AMENDMENT AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF THE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE ACT 
(PROM. - SG 36/08)

§ 77. In the Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act (prom. – SG 110/97; amend. – SG 33, 59 and 133/98; SG 49/99; SG 26 and 36/01; SG 45, 63 and 99/02; SG 16/03; SG 36/04; SG 30/06 and SG 13, 24 and 59/07)everywhere the words "the Minister of Agriculture and Forests", "Minister of Agriculture and Forests", "the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests" shall be replaced respectively with "the Minister of Agriculture and Food Supply", "Minister of Agriculture and Food Supply" and "the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supply".

Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE ACT ON AMENDMENT AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF THE FORESTRY ACT
(PROM. - SG 43/08)

§ 81. In the Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act (prom. – SG 110/97; amend. – SG 33, 59 and 133/98, SG 49/99, SG 26 and 36/01, SG 45, 63 and 99/02, SG 16/03, SG 36/04, SG 30/06, SG 13, 24 and 59/07 and SG 36/08) everywhere the words "forestry", "floristries", "the floristries", "the respective regional service of", "the state game breeding station" and "agriculture and forests" shall be replaced respectively with "forests husbandry", "forests husbandries", "the forests husbandries", "the respective regional directorate of", "the state game husbandry" and "agriculture".

Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE ACT ON AMENDMENT AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF THE FORESTRY ACT 
(PROM. – SG 80/09)
§ 65. The following amendments shall be made in the Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Everywhere in the Act the words "the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supply", "the Minister of Agriculture and Food Supply" and "Minister of Agriculture and Food Supply" shall be respectively replaced by "the Ministry of Agriculture and Food", "the Minister of Agriculture and Food" and "Minister of Agriculture and Food".

Concluding provisions
TO THE ACT AMENDING THE ACT ON BULGARIAN FOOD SAFETY AGENCY
(PROM. - SG 58/17, IN FORCE FROM 18.07.2017)
§ 12. Everywhere in the text of Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act words "Minister of Agriculture and Food" and "Ministry of Agriculture and Food" shall be replaced with words "Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry" and "Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry".
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§ 76. This Act shall enter into force on the day of its promulgation in the State Gazette.
Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE ACT AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS SUPPORT ACT
(PROM. – SG 102/22, IN FORCE FROM 01.01.2023)
………………………………………………………………………
§ 46. In the Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act, the words "Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry" and "Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry" are replaced by "Ministry of Agriculture" and "Minister of Agriculture" respectively.
………………………………………………………………………
§ 106. The Act enters into force on January 1, 2023, with the exception of Art. 33a, para. 2, which enters into force on March 1, 2023.
Transitional and concluding provisions
TO THE ACT AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING THE ACT ON PLANT PROTECTION
(PROM. - SG 102/23)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 62. In the Restoration of Ownership of Forests and Forestry Fund Lands Act (promulgated, SG No. 110 of 1997; amended, No. 33, 59 and 133 of 1998, No. 49 of 1999 26 and 36 of 2001, No. 45, 63 and 99 of 2002, No. 16 of 2003, No. 36 of 2004, No. 30 of 2006, No. 13, 24 and 59 of 2007, No. 36, 43 and 91 of 2008, No. 6 and 80 of 2009, No. 61 of 2015, No. 58 of 2017, No. 55 of 2018 and No. 102 of 2022) the words "Ministry of Agriculture" and "Minister of Agriculture" are replaced by "Ministry of Agriculture and Food" and "Minister of Agriculture and Food".
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .