The new privatization procedure for Bulgartabac is expected to be ready until the end of 2005. Bulgarian economy minister Rumen Ovcharov said, that the sell-off should be launched after the clarifying of several key issues: whether the firm should operate according to both social and market principles; whether cigarette and tobacco production wouold be spun off separately; and whether the tobacco holding would retain its say in tobacco trade and export policy. Bulgartabac has already concentrated cigarette production at the factories in Sofia, Stara Zagora, Blagoevgrad and Plovdiv.