A parliamentary committee has rejected a bill that would let fathers take their 15 days of paternity leave more freely in the first year after a birth. The National Assembly's labour, demographic and social policy committee voted 8 for, 9 against, with 3 abstentions, at first reading. The bill would have changed the Labour Code.
Venko Sabrutev of We Continue the Change and a group of MPs tabled the bill. They wanted fathers to be able to take the days in one go or in parts, depending on the family's needs. It would also have dropped the rule that the leave must be taken in one block after the baby leaves hospital.
Sabrutev said fathers need this flexibility so they can help the mother when the family needs them.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy did not back the changes. Minister Natalia Efremova said the current rules require a father to use the 15 days from the date the child leaves hospital. She said the idea is for the father to build the closest bond with the newborn in the first days. She added that if the leave is split into parts, an employer can refuse it more easily.
GERB-SDS, DPS, Vazrazhdane and Democratic Bulgaria backed the bill. Iliyana Zhekova of GERB-SDS said the text should be clarified between first and second reading so it cannot be read in different ways. Ayten Sabri said DPS will back the changes. Georgi Georgiev of Vazrazhdane also gave his support.
Stela Nikolova of Democratic Bulgaria proposed rewording the text so that an employer could not refuse the leave.
Progressive Bulgaria voiced doubts. Mirena Gugleva-Ivanova said the proposals need careful thought. Some other MPs from the party warned that passing the bill could change the whole idea behind paternity leave.
Todor Kapitanov, vice-president of the CITUB trade union, backed the bill. Maria Mincheva of the Bulgarian Industrial Association thinks the current rules are good.