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President Georgi Parvanov says the adopted amendments undermine the conduction of just trials and the reliability of the provided evidence. Photo by BGNES
Bulgaria's Socialist President Georgi Parvanov has imposed a veto on two of the most controversial amendments to the Penal Code, which parliament adopted at the end of March.
The President disputes the change that provides for issuing a guilty verdict only on the basis of anonymous witness testimony and data from special surveillance devices.
The other vetoed text allows appointing a State attorney for defendants in serious crime cases when the defense council of their choice fails to appear before the court without sound excuses.
According to the President the adopted amendments undermine the conduction of just trials and the reliability of the provided evidence.
The controversial amendments were adopted by the ruling majority of the center-right GERB party on March 25 following heated debates with the opposition, which forced MPs from the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria and the ethnic Turkish DPS to leave the plenary hall in a sign of disagreement.
MPs from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which is the main force in Coalition for Bulgaria, and the ethnic Turkish party pointed out that the texts would turn Bulgaria into a true police State and would open the door for unlimited violations and abuse.
According to them Bulgaria faces the danger to be tried by the Strasbourg Court over violations of the citizens' legal rights and imposition of unwanted attorneys.
The motive of those in favor of the moves was the elimination of the endless dragging of high-profile cases.
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