site.btaPublic Enterprises to Appoint Integrity Officers, MPs Resolve at First Reading

Bulgaria's Parliament Wednesday voted, 105-42 with 19 abstentions, to pass on first reading amendments to the Public Enterprises Act moved by Anna Aleksandrova MP of GERB-UDF and a group of MPs.

Under the revised version of the law, public enterprises will be required to introduce a corruption risk management system, including the appointment of an integrity officer, as recommended by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and as part of the measures outlined in Bulgaria's National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The systems cover the selection of senior officials, measures to prevent conflicts of interest, a methodology for assessing and monitoring corruption risks, ethics and integrity training for employees, and the introduction of the position of integrity officer.

On behalf of the sponsors of the bill, Georgi Krastev MP of GERB-UDF added that the powers of the Public Enterprises and Control Agency will be broadened to include the adoption of a Code of Ethical Conduct for persons employed in public enterprises.