The Parliament adopted on first reading the proposal to abolish the CPC (Commission for Combating Corruption). Investigative functions will be transferred to the Ministry of Interior, and declarations of conflict of interest - to the Audit Office. The draft laws of DPS (Movement for Rights and Freedoms) - New Beginning and PP-DB (We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria) were rejected.
Georgi Krastev (GERB-SDS) argued the proposal with the lack of results from the work of the CPC: "The CPC did not produce either justice or results. It produced noise and disappointments. Corruption at the top was not hit." According to him, the functions should be returned to the specialized Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) and the investigators.
Hamid Hamid (DPS - New Beginning) commented that the submission and verification of declarations are being transferred to the Audit Office, which will also be responsible for preventing conflicts of interest. The fight against corruption will be transferred to DANS (State Agency for National Security), where it was before the creation of the CPC.
Bozhidar Bozhanov (PP-DB) proposed the creation of a new, smaller commission for the prevention of corruption and conflicts of interest.
Tsveta Rangelova (Vazrazhdane) expressed concerns about repression and warned that the changes would not lead to the desired result.
Main highlights:
- Abolition of the CPC
- Investigative functions to the Ministry of Interior
- Declarations of conflict of interest to the Audit Office
- Different positions from the political parties (GERB-SDS, DPS, PP-DB, Vazrazhdane)
- Debate on the effectiveness of the CPC and future measures