# Bulgarian homemade alcohol regulation controversy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/bulgarian-homemade-alcohol-regulation-controversy > Updated: 2026-10-04T17:29:18.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2. Bulgarian officials have addressed public and political backlash regarding proposed amendments to the Excise Act and Tax Warehouses Act. The controversy centers on regulations that restrict the possession of homemade brandy to the producer and their immediate family, leading to fears that citizens could face fines of up to 1,000 euros for receiving homemade alcohol as gifts. Finance Minister Galiub Donev defended the measures, stating the primary goal is to curb the illegal commercial trade of homemade alcohol in venues like hotels and restaurants. He noted that the Customs Agency has already seized 15,000 liters of such alcohol intended for commercial sale this year. Following these concerns, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Parliament Ivan Angelov also clarified the government's position. He dismissed claims of massive fines for personal possession, asserting that serious sanctions would instead target those holding large quantities of undocumented alcohol intended for illegal resale. Angelov emphasized that the state aims to target speculation and illegal trade rather than penalizing traditional domestic production for personal use. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-04: Bulgaria's Ivan Angelov denies fines for homemade rakia Bulgarian Deputy Parliament Chairman Ivan Angelov clarified that new regulations target illegal alcohol trade, not personal homemade rakia, denying rumors of heavy fines for citizens. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bulgarias-ivan-angelov-denies-fines-for-homemade-rakia ### 2026-09-28: Bulgaria Finance Minister defends excise law changes regarding homemade brandy Bulgarian Finance Minister Galiub Donev defended proposed excise law changes aimed at stopping illegal alcohol trade, amid criticism that the rules could penalize citizens for possessing gifted homemade brandy. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bulgaria-proposes-ban-on-possessing-homemade-rakia-from-non-family-members --- Cite as: Bulgarian homemade alcohol regulation controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/bulgarian-homemade-alcohol-regulation-controversy