Merger of Anti-Trust, Consumer Protection Watchdogs Moves Forward

Bulgaria's parliamentary committee on economic policy and tourism approved the merger of the anti-trust and consumer protection watchdogs.

The proposal passed first reading at the parliamentary committee on Thursday.

The move was backed by MPs from ruling parties the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and liberal party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), while the MPs from center-right party GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) abstained from voting, saying that eleventh-hour decisions were not appropriate for such important decisions, taking into account that the term in office of the 42nd National Assembly was coming to an end.

Yordan Tsonev, MP from DPS, who initiated the proposal for the merger of the Commission on Consumer Protection and the Commission for Protection of Competition, argued Thursday that fair competition was a precondition for a greater protection of consumer's interests.

He admitted, however, that establishing a single authority in charge of consumer protection and competition protection had its negative aspects.