site.btaParliament Passes Amendments to Cultural Heritage Act

110 POLITICS - CULTURAL HERITAGE - CHANGES

Parliament Passes
Amendments
to Cultural Heritage Act


Sofia, December 19 (BTA) - Parliament adopted here on Wednesday amendments to the Cultural Heritage Act, according to which cultural heritage is to be identified by national and regional museums alone or jointly with other scientific or cultural institutes or universities. Municipal and private museums designated by order of the Minister of Culture can also identify cultural heritage.

The amendments define identification of movable and immovable heritage as research activity which determines whether an item complies with cultural heritage criteria and classifies and categorizes it under the terms of the Act.

Natural and legal persons possessing property or collections of objects that can be identified as cultural heritage may request their identification.

Bulgarian fine art and craft pieces of any kind created after 1900 are not eligible for identification (for the purposes of subsequent sale), nor are Bulgarian printed books published after 1805.

The museum responsible for the identification of movable heritage items can receive them given that it has the proper conditions for their storage and preservation. The relationship between the museum and the item's owner is subject to a written contract.

MEPs voted that movable heritage can only be exported or temporarily transported outside of Bulgaria with an export permit or an export certificate. Export of cultural items acquired outside Bulgarian territory will require their documents of origin.

Copies, replicas and commercial items can be made only with the owner' consent or the person in charge of managing it. Heritage items stored in museums, libraries or archives will require permission from the director of the relevant institution. RY/DT