site.btaDeputy PM Kuneva Launches People vs. Corruption Campaign

Deputy PM Kuneva Launches People vs. Corruption Campaign

Sliven, Southeastern Bulgaria, September 10 (BTA) - Bulgaria for
 the Citizens Movement leader Meglena Kuneva launched her
party's People vs. Corruption campaign here on Thursday.

The campaign, which already started in other cities, seeks to
collect 110,000 signatrues (1,000 for each MP who did support a
high-level countecorruption bill when it was put to the vote in
Parliament earlier this month).

On September 3, the National Assembly rejected a Bill on the
Prevention of Corruption of Senior Public Officials on first
reading. The vote was 101 in favour (GERB and the Reformist
Bloc), 38 against (BSP-Left Bulgaria), and 72 abstentions
(Patriotic Front, ABV, Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and
Ataka). Five MPs of the Bulgarian Democratic Centre abstained,
and two voted against.

"It was very important for these elections to give a sign by the
 Countercorruption Act, so that the chief architects would be
aware that they are subject to a check under this law," said
Kuneva, who, in her capacity as Deputy Prime Minister, moved the
 rejected bill on behalf of the Council of Ministers. She was
referring to the October 25 local elections. Kuneva called on
the Reformist Bloc candidates to get thoroughly familiar with
this law and determine whether they are ready to comply with it,
 noting that intervention with privacy is the price for entering
 politics.

Nearly 200 signatures were collected within some two hours.