site.btaCabinet Proposes that National Service for Protection Cars Be Transferred to President's Administration

The Council of Ministers has proposed an amendment to the National Service for Protection (NSP) Act, which would transfer NSP vehicles to the President's administration. The bill was published on Parliament’s website on Friday.

The changes aim to regulate the transfer of movable property, including motor vehicles, as well as staff numbers and the legal relations with employees who have served the President's administration, from the NSP to the President's administration, along with the associated current and capital expenditures, the reasoning says.

The government said that the proposal will have no impact on the state budget, as the costs will be balanced between the two institutions.

In early October, Parliament decided that the NSP would no longer provide transport services for the President's administration. The bill was introduced by Kalin Stoyanov from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning.

The Council of Ministers said that since the changes in early October, transport services for the President's administration have not yet been arranged. The NSP Act must be amended to regulate relations between the two administrations and address other issues arising from the repeal, the reasoning further says.

The NSP is responsible for ensuring the security and safety of the highest state authorities. Providing administrative and transport services to the President's administration is considered an unusual function that diverts resources and personnel. Transferring staff and resources will allow the President's administration to organize its transport services, controlling and reporting directly on its own transport costs, which aligns with principles of independence and transparency in the management of public funds. Direct control over transport would enable the President's administration to manage and report its expenses and assets more clearly, according to the reasoning.

Under the bill, the vehicles assigned to the President's administration may be stored and serviced at the NSP base under terms outlined in an agreement between the parties.

Last week, President Rumen Radev said that he would use his personal car in situations where employees of the President's administration are required to use their own cars for official duties related to state ceremonies, protocol, and events on the head of State’s schedule.

"The State is not a game of toy cars. Having failed to block the activities of the presidential institution, they are now offering us ‘Greek gifts’ in order to compromise it," Radev said on Thursday. His remarks were in response to a statement by GERB leader Boyko Borissov, who announced that he had asked Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova to officially transfer all vehicles, drivers, and resources used by the President from the NSP to the President's administration.