Today, the National Assembly passed the first reading of the Bill on Transparency and Integrity in Governance, introduced by a group of members of parliament, in less than two hours.
Hours before the parliamentary vote, the Council of Ministers approved a draft law on the representation of interests before public authorities.
Speaking from the floor of Parliament, Deputy Minister of Justice Andrey Georgiev stated that the Council of Ministers would immediately submit the bill to the National Assembly so that the provisions finalized by the Ministry of Justice following the public consultation could be incorporated.
However, the members of parliament voted to set the deadline for proposals between the first and second readings at JUST THREE DAYS. This will not allow the members of parliament either to thoroughly review the text or to submit substantive proposals. This is clearly a continuation of the refusal to engage in dialogue and of legislation passed “behind closed doors” and drafted “on the fly.”
The bill was referred to the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs as the lead committee, as well as to five other committees as participating committees. However, no reports have been submitted by these committees; therefore, we believe that considering the bill at this stage is premature and insufficiently justified, as it is unclear to what extent their opinions will be taken into account. The legislative process imperatively requires strict adherence to procedures and thorough discussion within the relevant committees.
Transparency International Bulgaria has consistently and repeatedly expressed its views on transparency, integrity, and accountability in the decision-making process of public authorities, as well as its concerns regarding the shortcomings of the proposed legislative framework.
We call on the members of parliament and the staff of the Ministry of Justice to make every effort to improve the text of the bill, taking into account the feedback received during the public consultation.
We call for a return to a normal pace in the legislative process, which would better ensure that legislation is appropriate and that public relations are regulated in a sustainable manner, and would put an end to the constant “jumping” from one emergency measure to another.
For more TI-Bulgaria positions on lobbying regulation, check out our dedicated website: http://lll.transparency.bg/