site.btaBulgarian Industrial Association Calls for Withdrawal of Administrative Procedure Code Amendments

Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - In a statement on Monday the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) urged for the withdrawal of a bill to amend the Administrative Procedure Code and then for putting it up for public discussion. The statement has been sent to National Assembly Chairman Dimiter Glavchev and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

The National Assembly voted on first reading changes to the Administrative Procedure Code, increasing several times legal fees. According to BIA, this hinders access to justice and limits ways for court action against unlawful actions by the public administration. The bill was voted by MPs without a public discussion although it concerns fundamental constitutional rights such as the access to justice and administration accountability.

Under the proposed changes, fees for appeals proceedings have been increased 18 times from 5 to 90 leva for citizens, 90 times for non-governmental organizations (from 5 to 450 leva) and for commercial companies nine times (from 50 to 450 leva).