site.btaUPDATED Economy Minister Bogdanov Calls for Resignation of Consumer Protection Commission Leadership

Economy Minister Bogdan Bogdanov has removed his confidence from the leadership of the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) and asked for its resignation, his ministry said here on Thursday. He held a meeting with the commissioners to inform them of his decision, taken on the basis of the growing number of reports against the CPC's activities. Since the beginning of the year, such reports have increased by over 60% compared to 2022 and 2021. The current leadership was appointed in 2022.

A significant number of the signals are confirmed by the inspections carried out by the Economy Ministry Inspectorate and concern problems caused by non-compliance with the statutory deadlines, frequent staff changes and unregulated interference. The Public Financial Inspection Agency, the Commission for Anti-Corruption and Illegal Assets Forfeiture and the Sofia City Prosecution Office have been referred onthe occasion of the Inspectorate's findings.

The Economy Ministry has also received numerous complaints of unregulated interference and a targeted campaign against traders by the CPC, including journalistic investigations that have gone public, the press release states.

"All this compromises the credibility of the CPC as a body exercising control in the protection of consumers and requires action to ensure its effective functioning," said Bogdanov. At this stage, one of the three members of the Commission, Konstantin Arabadzhiev, has submitted his resignation to the Ministry's registry.

The Economy Ministry proposed to the Council of Ministers changes in the CPC. The details of the procedure related to the planned changes in the Commission are to be coordinated with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister.

Later in the day it became clear that Stoil Alipiev does not intend to resign as CPC Chair. Alipiev told BTA that the information about violations in the Commission put forward by the Economy Ministry is not correct, and a position of the CPC leadership will be presented in writing in detail and with arguments.