site.btaParliament Rejects Five Hearing Proposals and Two Bill Debates

At the start of its Wednesday sitting, Parliament rejected five proposals for hearings in plenary on various issues, as well as two bill debates. The proposals were read out by National Assembly Chair Michaela Dotsova.

MPs rejected a proposal by Continue the Change (CC) to include in Tuesday's agenda a hearing of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) Director General Milena Milotinova and Council for Electronic Media Chair Gabriela Naplatanova on the removal of Georgi Angelov as host and editor of BNT's Istoriya.BG programme, the termination of the Do Evropa i Napred programme, and guarantees for freedom of speech and protection against political interference in BNT's editorial independence.

A proposal by Vazrazhdane for a hearing of Prime Minister Rumen Radev concerning what the party described as Ukrainian Ambassador Olesya Ilashchuk’s systematic interference in Bulgaria's internal affairs was also rejected.

The proposal by Democratic Bulgaria (DB) for a hearing of Prime Minister Rumen Radev on the state and effectiveness of the national security system and the ability of the competent authorities to identify and prevent what the party described as growing acts of subversion and hybrid activity by foreign state structures on Bulgarian territory was also rejected.

Parliament also rejected a proposal by Vazrazhdane for hearings of Commission for Consumer Protection Chair Aleksandar Kolyachev and Commission for Protection of Competition Chair Rosen Karadimov on measures taken and results achieved in limiting violations related to the pricing of fuels and essential food products.

A DB proposal for hearings of Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev and Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov on the current assessment by the competent state authorities of the risk of hybrid actions, sabotage, subversive activity and other forms of covert external influence against Bulgaria was also rejected.

Parliament further rejected a Vazrazhdane proposal for first-reading consideration of a bill on the Bulgarian language, as well as a CC proposal for consideration of amendments to the Family Allowances for Children Act.

The first item on the MPs' agenda on Tuesday is the first-reading discussion of amendments to the Commercial Register and Register of Non-Profit Legal Entities Act, submitted by Progressive Bulgaria.