Starting in May, the price of cigarettes in Bulgaria will rise by 40 to 50 stotinki (coins) per pack. This increase follows the latest adjustments to excise duties on tobacco products, which were approved as part of the 2025 budget. The new excise duty rates, which come into effect on May 1, mark the second price hike this year, following a similar increase earlier in 2025, when excise rates were raised by nearly 6%. This earlier rise was part of a planned, gradual increase that had been set in place since late 2022, when a four-year schedule was introduced. However, the government accelerated the schedule, deciding that the 2026 rates would be applied a year earlier.

As a result, the total increase in cigarette prices this year will exceed 10%, according to reports. The Bulgarian Tobacco Industry Association clarified that there was no truth to recent rumors about a price surge of 2.50 leva per pack starting on April 1. These claims had circulated after some groups, including the Smoke-Free Bulgaria Association and the Smoke-Free Life Coalition, warned that the new excise duty directive would lead to a significant price hike. The Bulgarian Tobacco Industry Association refuted these claims, stating that the proposed changes to the excise duty directive, which would have raised the minimum rate to 180 euros per 1,000 cigarettes, had not been implemented. They noted, however, that the European Commission is expected to increase the minimum tobacco product excise duties more substantially in the coming years.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the current excise structure will see a phased increase. As of January 1, 2025, the minimum excise duty for every 1,000 cigarettes was raised to 202 leva. This will rise to 210 leva per 1,000 cigarettes starting in May, with a further increase of 12 leva each year until 2029. Similar increases are expected for other tobacco products and those containing tobacco substitutes. For example, the excise duty on heated tobacco products will rise from 380 leva per milliliter to 400 leva in May, with further increases of 20 leva annually until 2029.