According to the Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Act (adopted in May, 2004), trafficking in human beings: recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.

The Penal Code in Bulgaria envisages concrete legal measures for the perpetrators of this type of crime (see Penal Code, Special Part, Chapter Two: Crimes against the individual, Section IX).

Trafficking in human beings is the illegal commercial trade of people with the purpose of labor or sexual exploitation. The victims are turned into slaves and often - using coercion - they are forced to work for a minimal or no payment.

Trafficking in human beings is one of the most serious forms of violation of human rights!

Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation – people who go to work abroad are deceived and forced to work in bad conditions with minimal or often no payment. They are threatened or blackmailed by the employers in order to stay at work in spite of the bad conditions. Often their passports are taken from them. Their freedom is limited. These people turn into slaves!

Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation – most often these are young women who look for a job abroad or leave to study. They are often enticed with promises for work and after arriving in the given country they are sold and forced through violence, threats and blackmailing to become prostitutes.