Bulgaria’s President Vetoed Amendments to the Law on Environmental Protection

Bulgaria’s President Roumen Radev on 8^th of August imposed a veto on the amendments to the Law on Environmental Protection.

Accordinmg to the amendements adopted by the National Assembly in mid-July, the appeal of environmental impact assessments at second instance court in cases of construction of sites of national importance, was dropped.

The President's motives to return the law for new discussion are that the speed in building sites of national importance can not be beyond the law.

According to the President, in order to fulfill its constitutional obligation to ensure the protection of the environment, the state should not only establish regulations for protection and preservation of the environment, but also for effective control of their application. Such control is carried out by the administrative courts at two instances.

The removal of the second instance reduces the intensity of protection required to ensure the environment as a constitutionally recognized value. 26 non-governmental environmental organizations have asked the President to return the law for discussion, as the changes have weakened judicial control over the legality of infrastructure mega-projects. Employers' organizations supported the changes.