Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002775/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Nikola Minchev (Renew), Radan Kanev (PPE)
Upholding the primacy of law by establishing guarantees on the political independence of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (CPC) is one of the basic reforms under the NRRP. The NRRP provides that the members of the CPC be elected by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Bulgarian National Assembly, with a nomination committee consisting of representatives of the institutions, so as to guarantee maximum independence of the process from political influence.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that the requirement of a two-thirds qualified majority in the National Assembly is contrary to the Bulgarian Constitution, which lays down a different approach to ensuring the independence of the CPC.
In the meantime, the majority in the Bulgarian National Assembly has adopted at first reading a draft law significantly watering down the role of the nomination committee by providing that it can also meet in a select committee format. This change will result in even the greater party-political dependence of the CPC on the ruling parties and the parliamentary majority, and is liable to jeopardise the NRRP as an instrument for reform.
We would like to put the following questions:
- 1.What mechanisms is the Commission considering to compensate for the fact that election of the members of the CPC by qualified majority is no longer a requirement?
- 2.What view does the Commission take of the scaled-down role of the nomination committee in selecting the CPC and the possibility of it sitting and adopting decisions in a select committee format?
- 3.Is there a risk that Bulgaria will forfeit funding under the NRRP owing to the desire of those in power to exercise party control over the CPC?
Submitted: 8.7.2025