Parliament Adopted at First Reading the Government’s Draft of Anticorruption Law

Bulgaria’s Parliament adopted at first reading the draft of the new anti-corruption law proposed by thenruling government. 133 MPs from GERB, United Patriots and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms voted to support the draft. The opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and Volya party voted against.

The adopted draft prides for the chair of the new anti-corruption authority to be elected by the Parliament.

The draft of BSP envisages the Head of the new anti-corruption body to be appointed by the President.

This is the third attempt to adopt an anti-corruption law following the two unsuccessful ones to adopt the draft prepared by the former EU Commissioner and former deputy MP in charge of European affairs Meglena Kuneva from the previous Parliament.

In the debates prior to the vote on 25^th of October, the two largest political parties defended their drafts on anti-corruption law.

Tsvetan Tsvetanov, GERB floor leader, said that Parliament should appoint this body.

Kornelia Ninova, the leader of BSP said that the new authority should be distant from the power as much as possible. She added that GERB’s draft is not fight against corruption but a cover-up of corruption.

GERB believe the anti-corruption body will be independent.

Tsetska Tsacheva, Minister of Justice, says that the independence of the Commission is ensured while at the same time there are guarantees for transparency, accountability and publicity of its activities.

The functions of the new body was also subject of a dispute. According to GERB, they should be administrative, and according to the BSP the functions should be investigative. The United Patriots and the MRF supported GERB’s draft but said they would propose changes before the second reading.

Volya party described both projects as pointless.

“Volya party will not support the establishment of another futile, unproductive body, no matter who appoints its chief,“ Vesselin Mareshki, Volya leader and Deputy Chair of the National Assembly said.

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