Inspections carried out along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast this summer have uncovered irregularities at roughly every tenth commercial site, according to Ivan Videlov, head of the “Control and Inspection Activity” Directorate at the Ministry of Tourism. Videlov, speaking from the Golden Sands resort during a coordinated enforcement operation, said that the number of violations has been declining overall.

The checks primarily focus on beach cleanliness, the presence of lifeguards, and the availability of medical staff. Videlov reported improvements along both the Northern and Southern sections of the coastline. One area of concern - whether concessionaires are respecting the legal requirement to maintain free zones on the beach - now shows minimal breaches. These cases are so few that identifying them may require detailed geodetic surveying, he noted, adding that natural changes to the sea and coastline each year must also be taken into account.

Nonetheless, violations involving vehicles on beach sands remain a problem. Videlov confirmed that such infractions are being targeted with increased scrutiny, including the involvement of police patrols. Offenses of this kind tend to occur on unguarded beaches, where people even stage informal races or competitions. Sanctions are already in place, and authorities hope enforcement pressure will deter further incidents.

Joint inspection teams continue to operate across the coast, comprising officials from the Ministry of Tourism, the Consumer Protection Commission, the Economic Police, the Regional Health Inspectorate, the National Revenue Agency (NRA), and local municipalities such as Varna. These teams have been active in resort areas like Golden Sands.

Videlov commented that, as in previous years, once operations begin, many businesses along the promenades tend to shut down abruptly - apparently in anticipation of checks. Still, there are signs of positive change. The NRA, for example, has yet to detect any violations regarding failure to issue receipts during the current campaign.

The most frequent irregularities involve foreign-language-only labels and counterfeit goods. However, even these instances are reportedly becoming less common. Inspections are set to continue through the end of the summer season, though their intensity will vary depending on location and circumstances.