site.btaSocialists Present Specialized Anti-corruption Agency Bill

Sofia, August 14 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) presented its bill for a specialized anti-corruption agency, which will be able to act on its own initiative and check politicians' declarations and alerts, said here on Monday Deputy Chair of BSP's Parliamentary Group Kroum Zarkov.

When the alert is signed, the person who had submitted it will be eligible to receive feedback, he explained.

The bill provides for the agency's head to be appointed by the President and only serve a single term. The specialized agency will focus on high-level and mid-level corruption and work on specific sets of persons and crimes, Zarkov said.

BSP is proposing an alternative bill, because GERB's is not sufficient. According to the Socialists, the bill drafted by GERB does not meet the main goal - to have an efficient body to tackle corruption, which has its independence guaranteed. "It will be elected by Parliament" in reality means that "It will be elected by the majority", Zarkov said of GERB's bill. The bill is already posted on BSP's website and is available for public discussion. Consultations with representatives of the Judiciary and professional organizations are yet to be held