site.btaAgriculture Ministry Reaffirms Commitment to Institutional Dialogue and Mutual Respect

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food remains committed to the principles of institutional dialogue, mutual respect between the branches of government and the normal functioning of the State administration, the Ministry said in an official position on Wednesday. The statement comes in connection with publicly circulated materials and actions by members of Parliament carried out in the Ministry’s building earlier in the day.

Earlier on Wednesday, representatives of the parliamentary group of There Is Such a People (TISP) visited the Ministry’s building, and a video of their visit was broadcast live on the party’s official Facebook page. TISP MP Stanislav Balabanov said that caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov was not present at the time. Many viewers commented that he was at the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, the TISP MP added.

Earlier, in a declaration from the parliamentary rostrum, TISP called for the immediate resignation of caretaker Agriculture Minister Ivan Hristanov and members of his team. The National Assembly’s agenda for the day included a request to hear Minister Hristanov on his staff policy since taking office and on publicly reported information about a threat to national security, but the hearing did not take place.

In its position, the Ministry expressed respect for the powers of the National Assembly and for the constitutionally established parliamentary oversight over the executive branch. The Minister and the Ministry’s administration consistently cooperate in providing information and participating in parliamentary oversight procedures in accordance with the Bulgarian Constitution and the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly, the statement said.

The Ministry noted that in this particular case the Minister was unable to attend parliamentary oversight due to previously scheduled official engagements. The relevant information was provided in accordance with established procedures, and his absence from the sitting does not contravene the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly.

The Ministry considers that parliamentary control should be exercised within the framework of the established institutional procedures by members of Parliament themselves, ensuring both transparency and accountability of the executive branch and the normal functioning of the State administration.

In this context, the Ministry expressed concern over actions taken within its administrative building, during which employees’ offices were visited and documents requested outside the established procedures, while live broadcasts were conducted on social media in real time. Such actions create tension in the working environment, hinder civil servants in the performance of their duties and undermine the institution’s prestige, the statement says.

Under the principle of separation of powers proclaimed in Article 8 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the legislative, executive and judicial branches exercise their powers independently and with mutual respect for their institutional functions. Parliamentary control over the executive is carried out through the procedures and forms provided for in the Constitution and the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly. Actions that go beyond these established institutional mechanisms and are carried out directly within the administration of an executive authority create a risk of de facto interference in the activities of the executive branch and of upsetting the balance between the branches of government, the Ministry’s position stated.