site.btaUPDATED Parliamentary Committee Hears Deputy Ombudsman Candidate Maria Filipova

The Parliamentary Committee on Direct Participation of Citizens, Citizens’ Complaints and Interaction with Civil Society held a hearing for Deputy Ombudsman candidate Maria Filipova here on Tuesday. 

The Ombudsman institution should not only provide recommendations but also support to state authorities, said Filipova during her hearing.

Filipova stated that, in her role as Chairperson of the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC), she has seen firsthand how popular and sought-after the Ombudsman institution is.

Maria Filipova said that she and the national Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva share the common vision that the Ombudsman faces the challenge of creating a sense of presence in local communities without actually establishing regional offices. 

Filipova announced that, starting September 10, the CPC will launch its own campaign regarding the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria, while the Ombudsman's campaign will begin on September 19. To avoid overlapping with the campaigns of the Ministry of Finance and the Bulgarian National Bank, the CPC chose to focus its outreach efforts on smaller municipalities, Filipova explained, noting that they plan to visit 165 municipalities.

"As Chairperson of the CPC, I believe this campaign must reach every corner of the country," Filipova said. She reported that in just two calendar days and one business day, they received over 200 inquiries from merchants regarding dual price display in BGN and EUR, and how to publish prices on their websites. 

Maria Filipova possesses the personal and professional qualities necessary to uphold consumer rights, which will enable her to effectively fulfill the role of Deputy Ombudsman, said . She noted that Filipova is currently the CPC Chairperson, where she actively defends consumer interests in one of the areas most frequently affected by violations.

Filipova said her priorities would include making the Ombudsman institution more accessible to the public, establishing mobile citizen consultations, launching a national consumer helpline, strengthening collaboration with the legislative and executive branches, working with Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva in the field of juvenile justice.

Delcheva told the Parliamentary Committee that Maria Filipova's legal education and extensive practical experience in working with citizens and defending human rights were decisive factors in her nomination. She also highlighted Filipova’s experience in legislation related to juvenile justice.

There are no identified obstacles to Maria Filipova holding the position of Deputy Ombudsman, stated the Chair of the Committee, Rositsa Kirova, after the Committee sent official inquiries for background checks on Filipova.

On August 18, Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva submitted Maria Filipova’s nomination for Deputy Ombudsman to the National Assembly. Filipova received the highest score — 15 points — during the hearing before the Deputy Ombudsman Evaluation Committee.   

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 Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson of the National Audit Office, and the Ombudsman or their deputy.