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Parliament Approves First-Reading Criminal Code Amendments to Criminalize Violations of EU Restrictive Measures

bta.bg · 5h · first reportShare

Parliament Thursday voted 183-10 to approve at first reading amendments to the Criminal Code related to the transposition of a European directive on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of EU restrictive measures. The revisions were supported by MPs from all parliamentary groups except Vazrazhdane, whose members voted against. The bill provides for certain forms of violations of EU restrictive measures, as well as actions aimed at circumventing them, to be criminalized as offenses. The proposed penalties include imprisonment, fines and, in certain cases, disqualification from exercising certain rights. Justice Minister Nikolay Naydenov said the bill had been drafted by an interagency working group. He noted that the deadline for transposing the directive had expired and that the European Commission had initiated an infringement procedure against Bulgaria. For this reason, it is of paramount importance that the amendments and additions proposed in the bill