U.S. Department
of Justice
Completed Programs - Bulgaria
Program Overview
| Number of Claims | 453 |
| Number of Awards | 230 |
| Amount of Awards - Principal | $4,825,586 |
| Amount of Fund | $3,076,234 |
| Amount of Payment | $1,000 plus 69.71% of Principal |
Title II of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949, as amended (the Act), provided for the vesting and liquidation of enemy assets which had been blocked by the United States during World War II, and for the deposit of the proceeds into separate special funds, according to the respective government ownership of those assets prior to blocking. The proceeds from the liquidation of assets formerly owned by Bulgaria were deposited into a fund by the Department of the Treasury which was designated the Bulgarian Claims Fund, for payments on awards granted by the Commission in claims against Bulgaria under Title III of the Act.
Title III of the Act authorized the Commission to consider claims of nationals of the United States for losses arising out of war damages, nationalization, compulsory liquidation, or other taking of property prior to August 9, 1955, by the Government of Bulgaria. The Commission was also authorized to consider claims of nationals of the United States for losses based on the failure of the Bulgarian government to meet certain debt obligations expressed in the currency of the United States. Payments on the awards granted in these claims were made from the Bulgarian Claims Fund created under Title II of the Act. The amount available from the Bulgarian Claims Fund for payment was $2,676,234.49. The Bulgarian Claims Program was completed on August 9, 1959.
On July 2, 1963, the United States concluded a formal claims settlement agreement with the Government of Bulgaria. Under that agreement, the Government of Bulgaria paid the sum of $400,000 in settlement of claims of nationals of the United States. This amount was deposited into the Bulgarian Claims Fund to supplement the amount derived from the prior liquidation of Bulgarian assets for payments on awards granted by the Commission.
An amendment to Title III of the Act authorized the Commission to consider claims against Bulgaria which arose after the first program was authorized but prior to the conclusion of the claims settlement agreement with the Bulgarian government. This was necessary because Bulgaria had been in a state of war with the United States during World War II, which prevented the Commission from automatically receiving jurisdiction to adjudicate further claims against that country under Title I of the Act upon conclusion of a claims settlement agreement. See 22 U.S.C. 1623(b). The second Bulgarian Claims Program was completed on December 24, 1971, as required by the statute.
Statutory Authority
First Program – Pub. L. No. 84-285; (22 U.S.C. 1631 et seq.); (22 U.S.C. 1641)
Second Program – Pub. L. No 90-421; (22 U.S.C. 1631 et seq.); (22 U.S.C. 1641)
Pertinent International Agreements
Commission Decisions
Decisions and Annotations Regarding Claims Against Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania