site.btaParliament Decides Public Enterprises Must Introduce Corruption Risk Management System, Integrity Officers

Public enterprises will be required to introduce a corruption risk management system, which will also include appointing an integrity officer, Parliament decided here on Thursday after MPs approved at second reading amendments to the Public Enterprises Act, submitted by Anna Aleksandrova (GERB-UDF) and a group of MPs. 

The amendments implement a recommendation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and are part of the measures set out in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The corruption risk management systems cover the selection of senior officials, measures for preventing conflicts of interest, methodology for assessing and monitoring corruption risks, ethics and integrity training for employees, and the introduction of the position of integrity officer. 

The functions of the Public Enterprises and Control Agency will be expanded, as the institution will be required to adopt the above-mentioned corruption risk management system and monitor its implementation, as well as adopt a code of ethical conduct for those employed in public enterprises. 

In addition, public enterprises will be required to include in their interim and annual activity reports assessments and monitoring data on corruption risks. 

Public enterprises must introduce the Corruption Risk Management System within one month of its adoption by the Public Enterprises and Control Agency, and the enterprise’s management and supervisory body must appoint an integrity officer. Public enterprises must apply the code of ethical conduct within 14 days of its publication on the official website of the relevant agency.