site.btaInternal Affairs Committee Adopts Amendments to Remove Function of National Security Service to Provide President with Transport

The Parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Public Order voted at the second reading on amendments to the National Service for Protection (NSP) Act proposed by Kalin Stoyanov, an MP from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning party. The amendments propose the abolition of the NSP's role in providing transport for the presidential administration. The amendment was passed with nine votes in favour, three against and two abstentions.

Bozhidar Bozhanov, representing Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, proposed abolishing the security provided to certain individuals, including MPs and other individuals deemed important to national security. "Over the years, these provisions have hardly been used appropriately in practice. As far as I know, they have only been used by [MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan] Peevski and [MRF Honorary President Ahmed] Dogan. In our opinion, it is not appropriate for the National Security Service to guard such individuals; there is another department responsible for this," he commented. However, the Committee did not accept the proposal.

Petar Petrov from Vazrazhdane noted that their parliamentary group had submitted a similar proposal in the form of a draft bill regarding the circle of people to be guarded by the NSP. He believes that the NSP has been misused and wasted over the years.

"If we remove certain opportunities, we risk being accused of trying to obstruct the administration," said Nikolay Radulov of There Is Such a People (TISP).

Yuliana Mateeva from Velichie said that the issue of the administration's relocation had not been discussed in the bill's impact assessment, and that this change would lead to new budget expenditures which should be reflected in the assessment.

On September 18, Parliament approved the first reading of the bill that will see the National Service for Protection no longer provide transportation for the presidential administration.