OECD Dialogue – Transparency International Bulgaria
As part of the process of Bulgaria’s accession to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Transparency International Bulgaria met with representatives of the OECD Working Group on Integrity and Anti-Corruption.
Together with representatives of other non-governmental organizations, we discussed the progress and challenges facing Bulgaria in relation to the prevention and counteraction of corruption, integrity policies, the reform agenda and the legislative process in terms of integrity, transparency and equal access for all stakeholders.
Transparency International Bulgaria emphasized the challenges and the need to prioritize and take concrete measures on several key topics: the stability of the legal order and the quality of the legislative process, corruption and collective actions to create a culture of integrity in the public and private sectors.
Rule of law: the stability of the legal order and the quality of the legislative process
Despite the existence of legislative reform programs of several successive governments, the legislative activity of the National Assembly is distinguished by two contradictory characteristics – high intensity of legislative changes and low quality of adopted laws. The effective implementation of the legislative changes also remains in question.
Transparency International Bulgaria cautions that the law on the protection of whistleblowers adopted in 2023 is an example of flawed legislative practice, and despite the 3 amendments it already went through just in 2023, it still does not fully transpose Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law and is not able to achieve its goals.
The results of the judicial reform are still relatively limited in scope and impact. Considering the inertia of the justice system, time and consistent efforts are needed to manifest the effects of the measures taken to change the legislation and the institutions of the judiciary.
An issue that needs a serious consideration regarding the implementation of good governance and integrity in public enterprises is the appointment of the Boards of Directors of State and Municipal Public Enterprises regulated under the Public Enterprises Act. Despite the formal existence of rules and criteria for the appointments of the members of the boards, these are rarely implemented in practice
The State is obligated to the business
Developing a culture of business integrity must be prioritized
One of the main factors influencing the perception of corruption and its main driver is the lack of prioritization of the culture of business integrity, both in the public and private sectors.
In addition to measures focused on the public sector, measures to encourage and support business integrity in the private sector are also need, including through the introduction of incentives, because the private sector plays an important role in the fight against corruption, contributing significantly to the creation of a transparent, responsible and ethical business environment.
As major drivers of economic growth and innovation, private companies possess significant influence and resources that can be used to promote integrity and catalyze positive change. Good governance for public and private sector organizations is essential for efficient and open markets at both national and international level.
The implementation of modern regulations and economic mechanisms to promote good governance and business integrity standards in the private sector is lagging behind.
Over the past five years, Transparency International Bulgaria has been actively working for the adoption of policies and tools related to business integrity among the public and private sectors and has developed various tools to improve the environment in Bulgaria.
The meeting, part of the dialogue with the OECD, was held on July 12, 2024 at Council of Ministers of Republic of Bulgaria.