Balkanpharma insists that the counterfeiting of medicines become a criminal offence, the holding company's Executive Director Peter Terziev told on Thursday. The reason is that bootleg medicines are a health hazard, Terziev said. There are 70 licensed medicine manufacturers in Bulgaria, of which about 20 are active. Imports accounted for 77.2% of the market for medicines in 1999. Of the Bulgarian manufacturers, Balkanpharma held a 12.7% market share, Sopharma 9% and the National Institute of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Studies 1.1%. In terms of packets of medicines, market shares were as follows: 37.5% for Balkanpharma, 33.3% for foreign manufacturers, 27.5% for Sopharma, and 1.6% for the National Institute, Balkanpharma representatives said. Balkanpharma exports represent half of its output. Its exports increased by 80% in the last quarter of 1999 from a year earlier