Confiscation of property acquired through crime and the forfeiture of illegal assets are instruments for active counteraction of serious crimes that are of nature to generate economic gain for their perpetrators or related persons. The application of such mechanisms indicates
a firm political will and a particular governmental policy to combat crime. It is grounded on the awareness of an existing high risk of growing organised crime and corruption and the perception for its growing negative effect on the governance and economic development of
the country.
Forfeiture of illegally acquired assets in favour of the state is not a novelty in Bulgaria. Throughout the different historical stages of state development this institute has had different characteristics, scope and application procedures that have been determined by the different public and economic context.
At this stage asset forfeiture in the European law is bound with criminal proceedings in much greater extent than the 2012 special Bulgarian law.
Read the full text: