Bulgarian Parliament Adopts Activity Report of Anti-Corruption Commission for Illegal Assets Forfeiture

The Bulgarian National Assembly has adopted the annual report of the Counter-Corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission. It was supported by 76 MPs, as 35 abstained.

According to the report, in 2020 a total of 292 signals of conflict of interest were checked and with 30 decisions the commission confirmed the existence of such conflicts. The fines for an established conflict of interest last year total about EUR 300,000.

In 74 cases out of 490 prosecutor's inspections, data on corruption crimes were also collected.

Over the past year, this country exchanged information with 38 countries in the process of establishing illegally acquired property.

The report states that in 2019 the anti-corruption committee received a total of 166 signals on which proceedings were instituted. Sanctions and confiscation of property under penal decrees to the tune of BGN 173,511 (EUR 88,714) were imposed. 

MPs from the Bulgarian Socialist Party criticized the report, saying that despite the reported activity, the levels of corruption in the country remain high. 

MPs from the ruling GERB party objected that the data in the report showed that the commission was working seriously.