GERB leader Boyko Borissov announced that the "There Is Such a People" (TISP) party will withdraw its controversial bill introducing penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of personal information. Speaking to journalists, Borissov said he had personally spoken with TISP leader Slavi Trifonov, who assured him that the proposal would be retracted.

Further reading: Outcry Over Draft Law That Could Jail Journalists in Bulgaria for Publishing Personal Information

“I spoke with Slavi Trifonov and he told me they will withdraw the bill. I thank him for reacting immediately. There are texts that neither we nor they agree with,” Borissov said, adding that discussions among lawmakers on key issues have been intensive. “I got into the matter this morning, and Slavi responded right away,” he noted.

Borissov acknowledged that some provisions in the draft could still be improved. He voiced concern about artificial intelligence being used to create manipulated videos of public figures, calling for stricter regulation. “AI uses our faces and produces disgusting videos. This is not right. It should be prevented from making such videos of politicians. Is it normal for AI to generate a clip of me kissing Raya Nazaryan? I support tough penalties for that. Is it right for someone to sit in front of your home and stalk you? We’ll support such measures,” he said.

The GERB leader also expressed support for Democratic Bulgaria co-chair Atanas Atanasov’s proposal to close down the Anti-Corruption Commission, recalling that it had been established at the insistence of “We Continue the Change” and “Democratic Bulgaria” for Boyko Rashkov. “All the nonsense we’re seeing now happened during the ‘assembly’ with WCC,” Borissov remarked.

Commenting on healthcare funding, Borissov pointed out that Bulgarian citizens have seen tangible financial benefits: “With over 7 billion leva this year, people have received more money in their payslips, their bills, and their salaries,” he said.

Meanwhile, Democratic Bulgaria’s Atanas Atanasov sharply criticized the TISP proposal, describing it as unconstitutional and incompatible with international legal standards. “The proposed changes contradict the Constitution and many international acts,” said Atanasov, who chairs the “Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria” party, part of the “We Continue Change – Democratic Bulgaria” parliamentary group.

On Thursday, the parliamentary legal affairs committee approved at first reading TISP’s amendments to the Criminal Code, which would criminalize the publication of information about a person’s private life without consent. The proposal was debated in an extraordinary committee session during a break in the plenary meeting.

Atanasov denounced the initiative as “a complete legal absurdity,” warning that it could be used to authorize surveillance against journalists, vloggers, and other media figures. “What does private life even mean? If Prime Minister Zhelyazkov takes a picture with his wife in front of a hotel with a waterfall, is that private life?” he asked rhetorically.

He pledged to push for the bill’s rejection in the plenary hall, calling it an attempt to suppress free speech and media freedom. “After the chalga entered politics and parliament, it’s now entering criminal law,” Atanasov remarked.

DSB MP Yordan Ivanov added that if ethical conduct could be legislated through the Criminal Code, TISP “wouldn’t be in parliament now, but in prison,” referring to the party’s controversial television history. He warned that the opposition would raise the issue with European institutions if necessary.

According to TISP’s proposal, anyone who “through print or other mass media, electronic systems, or any other means distributes material containing information about another person’s private life without consent” could face between one and six years in prison and a fine ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 leva. The draft defines “private life” as information concerning personal, family, or intimate relationships, as well as an individual’s health condition.