site.btaParliament Overcomes President's Veto on Revisions to State Budget Act Relevant to Party Funding

110 POLITICS - PARTY FUNDING - VETO - REJECTED

Parliament Overcomes
President's Veto on Revisions
to State Budget Act Relevant to Party Funding


July 24 (BTA) - At its sitting on Wednesday, Parliament overcame a presidential veto on the Bill to Amend the State Budget Act 2019, which allows for funding political party with donations from legal persons and sole traders. The MP re-adopted the amendments with 129 votes in favour, 84 against and one abstention.

The revisions were supported by GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Volya and 9 MPs of United Patriots, while the BSP for Bulgaria and 11 MPs of United Patriots voted against. An independent MP abstained.

In his reasoning for the veto, President Rumen Radev argues that the revisions undermine the constitutional foundations of Bulgarian democracy and make political parties dependent on the business, which will fund their existence.

The BSP for Bulgaria parliamentary group supported the veto, arguing that the amendments legalize corruption.

The VMRO party, which is part of the United Patriots coalition, said they are not so much in favour of the veto as they are against the amendments and the change in the system for funding political parties.

GERB rejected the veto because they believe that the state subsidy for political parties of 1 lev per valid vote won at the latest parliamentary elections is insufficient, and parties need the option to receive funding from private donors in a transparent way, instead of illegally.

The MRF rejected the veto because they disagree with the greater part of the President's reasoning.

IG/DS
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