site.btaParliament Votes Anti-terror Act Provisions

Parliament Votes Anti-terror Act  Provisions

Sofia, December 14 (BTA) - Parliament on Wednesday adopted conclusively provisions of a new Anti-terror Act that set forth the main principles in countering terrororism. These include observation of the Constitution, the law and international agreements; respect and vouchsafing for human rights and fundamental freedoms and prioritizing human lives. The government will oversee in general anti-terror activities. It will have to adopt a strategy for countering radicalization and terrorism and a national anti-terror plan. In these activities it will be assisted by the Security Council.

The Prime Minister will establish a national command task force of anti-terror units, led by the Interior Minister. The task force will comprise ministers, deputy ministers, agency chiefs, the Prosecutor General. In the face of a specific terrorism threat the task force head will have to set in place the national anti-terror plan.

The bill sets forth three levels of threat and four levels of readiness of anti-terror units.

The adopted provisions allow military personnel to carry out identity verification checks of persons suspected of preparing or carrying out a terrorist act. Servicemen will be able to detain the suspects until the arrival of the police. Military staff will be able to search premises without consent from the owner or residents and in their absence. They will be able to use physical force and auxiliary means only in cases of absolute necessity and as a last resort will be able to use their service weapons.

Upon identifying foreign webpages whose content incites to terrorism or which disseminate knowledge for terror activities, the Interior Ministry and the State Agency for National Security (SANS) will petition the president of the specialized court to bar access to these sites. These webpages will be checked every three months by the Interior Ministry and SANS