MPs adopted amendments to the BNB Act that allow the Heads of the central bank, the National Audit Office and the Ombudsman to go on unpaid leave if appointed caretaker prime minister

The Parliament on April 2 adopted amendments to the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Act. They provide for the Governor of the BNB and his deputies, the President of the National Audit Office and his deputies, the Ombudsman and his deputy to be able to hold the post of caretaker Prime Minister.

During the period in which any of them holds that office, his other powers shall be suspended. After the election of a regular cabinet, the caretaker Prime Minister will be able to continue his term in his previous position.

The amendments to the BNB Act were adopted after two hours of fierce debate. "Vazrazhdane", the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP for Bulgaria) and “There is Such a People” (TISP) were against the changes.

Earlier this morning, the draft law was approved by the legal affairs committee in Parliament.

Here are some of the statements made in Parliament:

"When persons are appointed as caretaker prime minister, they suspend their powers only for the period in which they are appointed (as caretaker PM), and after that they continue to work in their previous post for which they were elected."

"This draft law, even in its reworked form, is unconstitutional. Why? Because it mixes the three powers. The President of the National Audit Office - he will become a caretaker prime minister. He's going to organise the general elections and then when he comes back to finish his term as the President of the Audit Office, he has to audit those elections. That is - he will be auditing himself. The constitution does not allow such a mixing of powers."

Kornelia Ninova, BSP leader:

"Changes in the law on the BNB have been adopted. The ruling majority are deepening the constitutional crisis. They legalised the conflict of interest by allowing the President of the Audit Office to return and audit his caretaker cabinet and the ministers in it. Let it be clear - those who voted the constitutional change are responsible. The chaos is deepening. If we are invited to nominate ministers to the caretaker cabinet, we will refuse. It is the job of the caretaker prime minister and should discuss them with the President so that we do not have another crisis.The more serious question is whether Glavchev (the Head of the Audit Office, nominated for caretaker Prime Minister) will propose a neutral cabinet. He is from GERB."

Toshko Yordanov, Chairman of the TISP parliamentary group:

"Both amendments were tabled at the last minute, without discussion, directly to the legal committee, and last night you tabled the amendment at 6 pm. Last night, when we saw the proposals, we realised that you figured out the element of unpaid leave and how it was in contradiction with the Constitution."

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Bulgaria’s Parliament, in an extraordinary sitting on April 2, adopted amendments to the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Act that will allow the central bank's Governor and Deputy Governors, the Ombudsman and his deputy, the head and deputy head of the National Audit Office to go on unpaid leave if they are appointed caretaker Prime Minister. The urgent motion came after President Rumen Radev gave Dimitar Glavchev, President of the Bulgarian National Audit Office, a mandate to form a cabinet.

Glavchev announced that he would apply for unpaid leave on April 1. He committed to present the cabinet line-up to the head of state on Saturday at the latest.

The amendments to the Constitution do not specify a deadline for the candidate for prime minister to propose a government, but in order to have 2-in-1 elections, it is necessary to shorten the timeframe.

Glavchev said that the cabinet he will propose will be made up of experts and will not include political figures.