site.btaParliamentary Ad Hoc Committee Approves Constitutional Amendments for Third Reading

Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee Approves Constitutional Amendments for Third Reading

Sofia, December 14 (BTA) - The National Assembly Ad Hoc Committee Drafting Amendments to the Constitution Monday approved the provisions of the bill without a debate. The vote in the 15-member Committee was 11 in favour and 1 abstention (Democrats for Strong Bulgaria MP Atanas Atanassov). The bill will go before the full house for a third and final reading on Wednesday.

Atanassov said he had abstained because, in his opinion, the transfer of the management of judicial properties to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) is unconstitutional because, under the Constitution, State-owned properties are managed by the government. The MP also disagreed with the distribution of political and professional quotas in the newly established judges' and prosecutors' colleges in the SJC. He confirmed to journalists that he had resigned as chairman of the National Assembly Internal Security and Public Order Committee.