site.btaParliament to Hold Extraordinary Sitting on April 30

Parliament will hold an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, April 30, at 14:00, instead of May 2, which is a working day for Parliament, according to the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly, Deputy National Assembly Chair Rositsa Kirova (GERB-UDF) announced here on Friday. Her proposal for the extraordinary sitting was supported by 138 MPs, 29 voted against and 16 abstained.

Parliament's agenda will include a second vote on the bill to amend and supplement the Gambling Act, submitted by Temenuzhka Petkova (GERB-UDF) and Yordan Tsonev of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). 

Friday, at first reading, MPs unanimously adopted amendments to the law banning gambling advertising in the media. The amendments introduce a ban on gambling ads appearing online, on television, on the radio and in print media, as well as in advertising on buildings. Advertising on billboards is allowed away from schools, on the facade of a gambling site, on sports equipment, sports facilities, sports halls, stadiums and swimming pools, materials or products of sports federations, clubs and associations and organizations.

The second item in the agenda is a second vote on amendments to the Personal Income Tax Act, submitted by Yordan Tsonev (MRF) and Temenuzhka Petkova (GERB-UDF). At the Friday sitting the MPs adopted on first reading the amendments which abolish the alternative tax on income from the collection of wild mushrooms and fruits, including medicinal plants.

The third item will be a bill to amend and supplement the Political and Civil Rehabilitation of Repressed Persons Act, submitted by GERB-UDF and MRF.

Forth on the MPs' agenda is a vote on the ratification of an international agreement on Amendment and Supplement No. 2 to the international contract (LOA) BU-D-SAB "F-16 Block 70 aircraft and associated support" from the US Foreign Military Sales-FMS Programme, submitted by the Council of Ministers.