The Parliamentary Committee on Labour, Demographic and Social Policy held a first-reading vote on two separate bills concerning amendments to the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act. With 16 votes in favor, one against, and one abstention, the deputies approved the bill submitted by the Council of Ministers. The second bill, introduced by Bozhidar Bozhanov ("Democratic Bulgaria"), failed to gather the necessary support and was rejected with two votes in favor, 12 against, and four abstentions.

The main objective of the supported government bill is the full transposition of the requirements of Directive (EU) 2024/1233 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024. It introduces a single procedure by which third-country nationals can apply for a residence and work permit in an EU country, while simultaneously defining a common set of rights for these workers. The reasoning behind the document further states that the changes aim to implement the Action Plan for the introduction of administrative services based on the "life episode" principle, which includes shortening the processing time for issuing Bulgarian personal documents in line with current technical and organizational capacity.

The rejected proposal by Bozhidar Bozhanov provided for the creation of an explicit legal framework for the operation of an Automated Information System, a "Platform for the production and issuance of residence and work permits." It was intended to process applications for residence and work electronically, as well as declarations for the registration of seasonal employment for up to 90 days. Within the framework of this bill, the issue of the rights of these foreigners was also raised, as there was no provision for them to register with the Labour Office in the event of unemployment without losing their right of residence. The sponsor's idea was to increase the transparency and efficiency of the process through digitalization.

During the discussion, Bozhidar Bozhanov emphasized the importance of the platform for the labor market and for facilitating highly qualified personnel. Antoaneta Tsoneva, an expert at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, acknowledged the benefit of an electronic environment in preventing forgery, but clarified that the ministry does not support the project as it does not include all specific registration regimes. She announced that a working group had been initiated to identify and upgrade the system's functionalities before it is finally regulated by law. Maria Todorova from "Progressive Bulgaria" added that the platform should not just be a "counter" for access to the National Revenue Agency, but should be designed to ensure state security and cover all possible scenarios.