site.btaParliamentary Legal Affairs Committee Holds Extraordinary Meeting on Penal Code and Domestic Violence Protection Act Amendments

The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs is holding an extraordinary meeting Thursday at 11:00 a.m. to discuss amendments to the Criminal Code and the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act. 

The parliamentary groups of GERB-UDF, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) submitted two joint bills. In the Penal Code, it is proposed to increase the penalties for causing medium and minor bodily injury. The amendments to the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act provide that domestic violence should now be punishable not only in the case of marriage or cohabitation, but also in the case of an intimate relationship.

Apart from the two bills, the agenda includes a discussion on President Rumen Radev's veto on the amendments to the Judicial System Act. In his motives, the head of state points out that this law does not contribute to lasting and effective reforms in the justice system and that this has a direct relevance to the fight against lawlessness and impunity.

The extraordinary session of the Legal Affairs Committee and Parliament came after countrywide protests against violence against women and in support of the 18-year-old girl attacked in Stara Zagora. The case dates back to the end of June, but gained widespread public coverage days ago. The detainee in the case was also charged with threatening to kill, the court decided he should remain in custody.