WITH a letter to Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg and Speaker of Parliament Ognyan Gerdjikov, President Georgi Purvanov initiated a new debate on the anticipated amendments to the Penal Code.
Purvanov requested amendments to the Penal Code regarding the stealing of firearms and explosives, car thefts and the forging of money and documents. Purvanov also asked that Parliament consider certain proposals on the introduction of the forfeiture of assets acquired illegally.
Earlier this week Saxe-Coburg called the idea of asset forfeiture "very healthy."
After meeting Purvanov at the beginning of this week, Prosecutor-General Nikola Filchev proposed limiting the civil rights of citizens of the republic in order to enhance the combating of organised crime.
Filchev said it was clear from crime levels that the individual rights of citizens should perhaps be limited.
"It is obvious that excessive tolerance for citizens creates dangers for these citizens themselves," Filchev told journalists after meeting Purvanov.
As a positive example of such limitations of the civil rights, Filchev mentioned recent changes to US legislation after the events of September 11, 2001.
Saxe-Coburg, however, said that the situation in Bulgaria was by no means similar to the one in the US after September 11 and limitations on civil rights were not necessary.
Saxe-Coburg said that Bulgaria should stick to EU standards regarding such matters.
Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov did not support Filchev's proposal to curtail civil rights.
Petkanov said it was more important to seek a balance between the state and the public interest, and people's individual interests and rights.
Earlier this week, Petkanov welcomed Purvanov's proposal to introduce asset forfeiture.
More than a year ago, the Interior Ministry drafted a bill providing for the confiscation of illegally acquired assets exceeding 30 000 leva.
The bill, however, has not been put to Parliament, because of strong objections by business and jurists who said that such a bill would impair the constitutional right of private property.
Petkanov elaborated on the idea of asset forfeiture, saying that the draft provided for protection of innocent people.
He said assets would be confiscated after two court rulings on the decision. Petkanov said that the state would seek to prosecute only those who had committed crimes.
He said a survey commissioned by the Interior Ministry showed that 93 per cent of those polled supported the idea.
Petkanov also presented other proposals of the ministry for amendments to the Penal Code.
The Interior Ministry is proposing amendments regarding the protection of classified information, which according to Petkanov was the most pressing matter.
People who disclose classified information may face imprisonment of between two and 15 years. The maximum penalty would be imposed on people who knowingly spread classified information or provided access to it to other parties.
Even journalists who unintentionally disseminate classified information should spend two years in prison, according to the proposals of the Interior Ministry.
Petkanov is also proposing harsh penalties for the stealing of explosives and firearms, currency frauds, blackmailing, illegal logging, car thefts and money laundering.
The introduction of such harsh penalties for the dissemination of classified information, however, provoked concerns among jurists.
The head of the Sofia City Court, Nelly Kutskova, expressed her fear that it could lead to the introduction of new police methods in the country.
The head of the State Commission for Protection of Classified Information, Tsveta Markova, said recently that the state administration and even the courts very often abused the right to classify information. She said an example was the decision by the Sofia City Court to classify the reasons for its decision to allow controversial businessman Michael Chorny to return to the country.
Purvanov requested amendments to the Penal Code regarding the stealing of firearms and explosives, car thefts and the forging of money and documents. Purvanov also asked that Parliament consider certain proposals on the introduction of the forfeiture of assets acquired illegally.
Earlier this week Saxe-Coburg called the idea of asset forfeiture "very healthy."
After meeting Purvanov at the beginning of this week, Prosecutor-General Nikola Filchev proposed limiting the civil rights of citizens of the republic in order to enhance the combating of organised crime.
Filchev said it was clear from crime levels that the individual rights of citizens should perhaps be limited.
"It is obvious that excessive tolerance for citizens creates dangers for these citizens themselves," Filchev told journalists after meeting Purvanov.
As a positive example of such limitations of the civil rights, Filchev mentioned recent changes to US legislation after the events of September 11, 2001.
Saxe-Coburg, however, said that the situation in Bulgaria was by no means similar to the one in the US after September 11 and limitations on civil rights were not necessary.
Saxe-Coburg said that Bulgaria should stick to EU standards regarding such matters.
Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov did not support Filchev's proposal to curtail civil rights.
Petkanov said it was more important to seek a balance between the state and the public interest, and people's individual interests and rights.
Earlier this week, Petkanov welcomed Purvanov's proposal to introduce asset forfeiture.
More than a year ago, the Interior Ministry drafted a bill providing for the confiscation of illegally acquired assets exceeding 30 000 leva.
The bill, however, has not been put to Parliament, because of strong objections by business and jurists who said that such a bill would impair the constitutional right of private property.
Petkanov elaborated on the idea of asset forfeiture, saying that the draft provided for protection of innocent people.
He said assets would be confiscated after two court rulings on the decision. Petkanov said that the state would seek to prosecute only those who had committed crimes.
He said a survey commissioned by the Interior Ministry showed that 93 per cent of those polled supported the idea.
Petkanov also presented other proposals of the ministry for amendments to the Penal Code.
The Interior Ministry is proposing amendments regarding the protection of classified information, which according to Petkanov was the most pressing matter.
People who disclose classified information may face imprisonment of between two and 15 years. The maximum penalty would be imposed on people who knowingly spread classified information or provided access to it to other parties.
Even journalists who unintentionally disseminate classified information should spend two years in prison, according to the proposals of the Interior Ministry.
Petkanov is also proposing harsh penalties for the stealing of explosives and firearms, currency frauds, blackmailing, illegal logging, car thefts and money laundering.
The introduction of such harsh penalties for the dissemination of classified information, however, provoked concerns among jurists.
The head of the Sofia City Court, Nelly Kutskova, expressed her fear that it could lead to the introduction of new police methods in the country.
The head of the State Commission for Protection of Classified Information, Tsveta Markova, said recently that the state administration and even the courts very often abused the right to classify information. She said an example was the decision by the Sofia City Court to classify the reasons for its decision to allow controversial businessman Michael Chorny to return to the country.
