Bulgarian MPs Pass 1/3 of President's Veto on Defense Act

The BSP MP, Angel Naydenov, is unsatisfied with the Parliament rejection of keeping the social benefits for army employees. Photo by BGNES

The Members of the Bulgarian Parliament voted Wednesday on the President's veto on the Defense Act.

The MPs decided to honor the request that the Head of Defense continues to report directly to the President, who is the country's Commander in Chief.

With this vote, the MPs approved one of the three recommendations of President, Georgi Parvanov.

The Parliament, however, rejected the veto on texts, regulating the payment of compensations to servicemen in a 45-day period. The article that the Defense Minister is to decide on the rules and the conditions to pay compensations remained in the Defense Act. The fixed deadline was also revoked.

The Majority further rejected Parvanov’s request that servicemen and women continue to be able to purchase state owned housing after 15 years of service.

Deputy Defense Minister, Valentin Radev, says the institution is willing to pay the compensations, but it is strapped for money. Radev also reported that the dismissal of a large number of army employees is forthcoming.

The opposition parties – the Bulgarian Socialist party and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms voted yes on all three parts of the veto and argued adamantly to keep the servicemen's social benefits.

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