Bulgarian Government Establishes National Anti-Corruption Council

The Bulgarian government announced on Wednesday the establishment of a National council on anti-corruption policies with advisory, coordinating and control functions to the Ministerial Council.

The council will be responsible for the development and implementation of policies on preventing and countering corruption, the government's press service informs.

The body will coordinate the development and update of draft strategies, programmes and plans on preventing and countering corruption.

It will monitor and assess the implementation of the adopted strategic and programme documents and will organise impartial external assessment of their implementation.

The council will also discuss the results from the implementation of the anti-corruption policies and will propose measures for raising their efficiency.

The inter-institutional body will make proposals for amendments to normative acts in the field of anti-corruption.

It can also advise the prime minister to entrust the chief inspectorate of the Council of Ministers to carry out the necessary checks.

The newly-established body will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva, while Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov will be the deputy-chairperson.

Among the members of the council are the deputy justice, interior, economy and finance ministers, the deputy chairperson of the State Agency for National Security (DANS), the deputy chief prosecutor, a representative of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS).

The body will meet once every two months with an opportunity for holding extraordinary meetings.

Representatives of other state bodies as well as representatives of professional and civil organisations and experts could also be invited to the meetings.

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