Bulgaria MPs Pass Revised Anti-Corruption Bill

Bulgarian lawmakers have overwhelmingly adopted draft legislation that aims at fighting high-level graft, local media report.

The bill has been backed on a first reading by a majority of 130-28, with 13 abstentions.

If approved further, it will give way to a new anti-graft body that will possibly be called National Bureau on Fight against Corruption.

The text establishes anti-corruption mechanisms and sets rules and procedures with regard to the forfeiture of illegally acquired assets.

New rules on declaration of assets by officials are also included in the bill.

A text introducing the option to submit anonymous anti-corruption alerts to authorities was considered to be one of the most controversial issues.

This is a second version of the anti-corruption bill going to the parliament floor after MPs surprisingly turned down the "original" last year.

EU member states' ambassadors had raised concerns over whether MPs have the political will to implement reforms.

The initial version envisaged a new corruption body uniting the Center for Prevention and Countering Corruption and Organized Crime (BORKOR) to the Council of Ministers, the Commission for Prevention and Ascertainment of Conflict of Interest and departments of the National Audit Office.

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