site.btaNational Assembly Elects Consumer Watchdog Chair Filipova as Deputy Ombudsman

Maria Filipova was elected Deputy Ombudsman by the National Assembly on Wednesday, receiving 128 votes in favour, 56 against, and six abstentions, with Vazrazhdane MPs not participating.

On August 18, Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva submitted Filipova’s nomination for Deputy Ombudsman to the National Assembly. 

On September 2, the Parliamentary Committee on Direct Citizen Participation, Citizens’ Complaints, and Civil Society Engagement conducted a hearing with Filipova.

In a letter to Rositsa Kirova, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Direct Participation of Citizens, Citizens’ Complaints and Interaction with Civil Society, Delcheva noted that Filipova has extensive professional experience in human rights as a practicing lawyer, junior and senior expert at the Ministry of Justice, Deputy Chair of the Financial Supervision Commission, and Chair of the Consumer Protection Commission.

The Deputy Ombudsman is among the officials from whom the President may choose a caretaker Prime Minister. According to the Constitution, the President may appoint a caretaker Prime Minister from among the Chair of the National Assembly, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the Chair or Deputy Chair of the National Audit Office, and the Ombudsman or their deputy.