site.btaElection Rules for New Anti-Corruption Commission Member from Parliament Clear Committee Stage

The National Assembly Committee on Prevention and Counteraction of Corruption on Tuesday voted, 14-2, to approve draft rules under which Parliament will elect a member of the new Anti-corruption Commission. The rules are expected to be put to a plenary vote on Wednesday.

Under the Act on Counteracting Corruption among Persons Holding Public Office, which entered into force on June 5, 2026, the Supreme Bar Council, the Supreme Court of Cassation, the Supreme Administrative Court, the National Assembly will each elect one member of the Commission, and the President of the Republic will appoint one member.

Committee Chair Dimitar Balev said that candidates must hold a master's degree in law, have at least ten years of legal experience, and possess high moral integrity. He said that, under the revised anti-corruption legislation, the competent parliamentary committee has to hold hearings of the candidates and the full house must elect a member of the Commission by July 5.

At Tuesday's meeting, the Committee rejected a motion by Dimitar Naydenov MP of Democratic Bulgaria to discuss negative opinions submitted about the candidates and include the debate in the report on the procedure. Vladimir Nikolov MP of Progressive Bulgaria argued that this was unnecessary and that, if adopted, the motion would put the Committee in a position to discuss "black PR".