site.btaParliament Votes in Principle that National Service for Protection Will No Longer Drive President's Administration Members

Parliament voted in principle that the National Service for Protection (NSP) will no longer drive the members of the President's administration. The legislation passed on first reading in a 116-64 vote with one abstention.

The amendment to the NSP Act was proposed by MP Kalin Stoyanov (MRF - New Beginning) and was backed by MPs of GERB-UDF, MRF - New Beginning, BSP - United Left and There Is Such a People.

Kalin Stoyanov explained that the reason for the amendment is President Rumen Radev’s visit to Varna on August 10 this year, when, in his words, "the entire city was blocked due to his motorcade, which included seven vehicles". He stated that the amendment does not seek confrontation, but aims to close a loophole that for years has allowed many people to take advantage of privileges intended for somebody else.

"I don’t see what the problem is with the President’s administration being treated the same as everyone else," he said adding that "this unjustified privilege must come to an end".

Yuliana Mateeva, deputy floor leader of Velichie party, called the amendment "a cheap farce aimed at publicly humiliating the Bulgarian president". According to her, there is an effort to leave the president without his staff while performing his representative functions.

Hristo Gadzhev (GERB-UDF) clarified that this is not about taking away any of the President’s rights.

"There is no state administration that operates under a special regime. Why should bureaucrats be driven under a special regime if they are not part of specialized services?" Gadzhev asked.

Hamid Hamid (MRF – New Beginning) added that the President will continue to be protected by the NSP. "This amendment concerns his administration, which could include even the cleaning staff," he commented. 

Ivaylo Mirchev (Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria) said that between the first and second readings of the bill, they would propose removing NSP protection for Delyan Peevski, the leader of MRF – New Beginning, as well as for all MPs except the Parliament Chair. "Parliament is the biggest taxi company: it has nearly 200 drivers," he pointed out.

Stanislav Anastassov (MRF – New Beginning) responded that Parliament has 75 official vehicles. "How did you come up with the number of 200 drivers?" 

The MRF deputy also went on to say that CC-DB were siding with "Radev the Russophile". "Right now, your focus is on defending Radev: Radev the Russophile," he said.

Ivaylo Mirchev said in response that his party had sent an official inquiry about the number of drivers Parliament has and were told it is "over 100".

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov commented that this is not the first time the National Assembly has passed "private amendments and private laws". “The President's administration does not have its own vehicles – it uses those of the NSP," he said, noting that this arrangement has stood for the past 35 years.

He said that the proposed amendments reflect "Peevski's demeaning attitude to the President". According to him, Parliament has 70 cars and 76 drivers.

Nikolay Radulov MP (MECh) said this is clearly an attempt to humiliate the president and to demonstrate that "he is a nobody in this country".

MPs also decided that the deadline for submitting proposals between the first and second readings of the bill will be three days.

In another development Wednesday, MPs of GERB-UDF, BSP and There Is Such a People submitted draft amendments to three laws, stripping the President of the power to appoint the heads of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), the State Intelligence Agency (SIA) and the State Agency Technical Operations (SATO).