site.btaSocialist MPs Petition Constitutional Court about Personal Data Protection Act Amendments

112 POLITICS - PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION - CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Socialist MPs Petition
Constitutional Court about
Personal Data Protection Act Amendments


Sofia, March 20 (BTA) - MPs of the opposition BSP for Bulgaria Wednesday submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court, arguing that amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act, passed by Parliament in late January, create conditions for censorship and self-censorship of Bulgarian journalists.

In early February President Rumen Radev vetoed the amendments, contesting ten cumulative criteria set by the law which journalists must take into account in order to transmit, disseminate or otherwise make available personal data. The head of State described these provisions as "overregulation restricting the freedom of expression". Later that month, the ruling majority overrode the veto.

Journalist Elena Yoncheva, who is an MP and the leading Socialist candidate for the May 2019 European elections, recalled that Bulgaria is at the bottom of the European media freedom rankings but Bulgarian journalism nevertheless remains the principal safeguard of freedom and democracy in Bulgaria. LI/LG

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