Bulgaria removed from U.S. piracy watch list after major torrent site shutdowns

Following the permanent shutdown of major Bulgarian torrent platforms Zamunda.net, ArenaBG, and Zelka.org in late January, Bulgarian users have begun seeking alternatives through foreign torrent trackers. The shutdown was the result of an international operation involving Europol, the Bulgarian General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GD BOP), the State Agency for National Security (DANS), and U.S. authorities.

According to Vladislav Todorov of the GD BOP unit responsible for intellectual property protection, the seized domains were confiscated by order of a U.S. court and cannot be re-registered. While authorities have detected other torrent trackers, most are targeted at non-Bulgarian users. Four individuals were detained in connection with the case, though official details regarding the investigation have not been released.

As a consequence of the crackdown on these sites, Bulgaria has been removed from the United States’ Special 301 Report, which monitors intellectual property protection. However, the European Union remains on the list. Todorov noted the paradox of Bulgaria being removed while the entire EU remains under observation.