Maya Manolova Appointed Chair of the Commission for Consumer Protection

The government has adopted a decision appointing Maya Manolova as chair of the Commission for Consumer Protection for the remainder of the current term, the government press service said.

The Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) is a specialised state body responsible for implementing consumer protection legislation in Bulgaria and exercising administrative control over the entire domestic market. The CCP is a legal entity funded from the state budget, with its headquarters in Sofia. It is a collegial body under the Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry, with regional units across the country responsible for monitoring unfair commercial practices and the general safety of goods and services.

The CCP consists of three members, including a chair, who are appointed for a five-year term by a decision of the Council of Ministers and appointed by the prime minister. At least one member of the commission must be a lawyer and one an economist.

Following the dismissal of chair Maria Filipova and her election as Deputy Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, Alexander Kolyachev, currently a member of the commission, was appointed acting chair of the CCP. To complete the commission's composition, a decision has now been taken to appoint Maya Manolova as chair and terminate Alexander Kolyachev's powers as chair, while he will remain a member of the CCP.