The team of the Master’s Programme “Economics and Management of Public Resources” will organise a discussion forum titled “Concessions – Opportunities and Challenges”. The topic of state and municipal concessions is of great current relevance and, for this reason, has been included in the programme’s curriculum.

The forum will cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Development of the concession framework over the years
• International experience in concessions
• Current state of concessions in Bulgaria
• Legal and regulatory framework
• Key concepts in concession awarding
• Types of concessions; concession objects; actors – characteristics, functions, and powers
• Concession awarding procedures
• Types of procedures
• Action plans for municipal concessions
• Preparatory actions
• Conditions for awarding concessions
• Minimum content requirements for the Decision and the Notice for opening a concession award procedure
• Concession documentation
• Participation requirements and award criteria
• Conducting a concession award procedure
• Activities of the commission responsible for the award procedure
• Applications and offers – content and submission process
• Concession contracts – minimum content and conclusion; implementation, amendment, and termination of the contract; consequences of termination
• Appeals against concession-related decisions
• National Concessions Register
• Financial and economic aspects of concessions
• Good practices in applying the Concessions Act
• Challenges in awarding concessions

A discussion segment will be included in the event.

Key speakers will include:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Savina Mihaylova-Goleminova, Dr. Rozalina Kozleva, Dr. Marina Belcheva, representatives from the specialized state and municipal administrations, the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB), concessionaires, and industry experts.

• Date: October 23, 2025
• Venue: Aula, Rectorate of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" and online

Register here: https://concessionforum.eu/