site.btaPresident Radev Vetoes Penal Code Revisions

December 19 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev has vetoed
Penal Code amendments which revise the Criminal Procedure Code,
his press secretariat said on Wednesday.

The challenged provisions allow for the delay by 48 hours of the
 notification of the family and employer of an accused party.
The President voiced even stronger concern over the possibility
to delay by 24 hours the notification of the parents of detained
 minors. The Constitution vests an obligation on parents to care
 for their children until they become of age and an obligation
on the State to support them, he argued.

While Radev supports the efforts and measures to combat
terrorism, organized crime and other forms of crime as
appropriate and justified, he objects to the lawmakers'
approach. Insofar as the persons and crimes for which
notification can be delayed are not specified, it is possible to
 disproportionately infringe rights and turn an exception into a
 rule.

Maintaining high standards of fundamental rights protection is
an inextricable part of the development of the European legal
systems, the President said.

On December 13, Parliament amended the Criminal Procedure Code
to transpose Directive 2013/48/EU of the European Parliament and
 of the Council of 22 October 2013 on the right of access to a
lawyer in criminal proceedings and in European arrest warrant
proceedings, and on the right to have a third party informed
upon deprivation of liberty and to communicate with third
persons and with consular authorities while deprived of liberty.
 RY/DD