An awareness-raising workshop on “Recent legal reforms and best practices in tackling terrorist financing cases” was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 2 June 2026. The event was organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Commission.
The workshop aimed to inform and engage practitioners on the most recent legal amendments addressing terrorist financing (TF) offences, as well as to share best practices in the field. The event brought together participants from the State Agency for National Security, the Ministry of Interior, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the National Investigative Service, among other key institutions.
The event was launched by an outline of the latest legislative reforms designed to strengthen Bulgaria’s legal framework in line with international standards and MONEYVAL recommendations. Subsequent discussions explored the detection and investigation of terrorist financing, including different offence typologies and the responsibilities of competent authorities.
Attendees also examined the practical implications of the revised legal framework for investigators, prosecutors, and judges. Presentations included international case studies, highlighting both lessons learned and ongoing challenges in prosecuting terrorist financing cases.
An open discussion session provided a platform for exchanging views on implementation challenges, proposing practical solutions, and formulating recommendations to support the effective application of the recent reforms. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of ongoing training and enhanced interagency cooperation.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening Bulgaria’s anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism efforts, underscoring the vital role of robust legal measures and effective practitioner engagement.
The event was designed to build on earlier project activities focused on raising awareness and equipping Bulgarian authorities for the effective and comprehensive implementation of the latest legal amendments. In particular, the project previously supported Bulgarian authorities by developing a comparative analysis of TF investigation and prosecution practices in selected FATF/MONEYVAL jurisdictions. This report examined key issues, including methods for establishing intent in terrorist financing cases, strategies for efficiently managing complex investigation timelines, the use of circumstantial evidence, and the delineation of liability between individuals and legal entities.
The activity was organised within the framework of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project on “Enhancing the anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework in Bulgaria”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.