NEW legislation on a wide range of subjects from civil protection during disasters, consumer loans and credit institutions, and several measures related to European Union accession is scheduled for debate in the next six months.

By the end of June, the Cabinet plans to pass 24 new bills, 39 draft amendments, 27 ratification bills and two codes.

All of the new legislation is linked to recommendations in the European Commission’s report about Bulgaria’s readiness to join the EU, that was released on October 25 2005. 

Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ivailo Kalfin will propose an E-Messages Bill and amendments to the Commodity Exchange Act and the Privatisation and Post-Privatisation Control Act.

Following the disastrous floods that hit the country in 2005, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Disaster Management Emel Etem will propose legislation on civil protection in case of disasters, as well as amendments to the Military Supplies and State Reserve Law.

Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski will table five new bills, on Value Added Tax (VAT), credit institutions, on further supervision over financial conglomerates, insider trading, and the manipulation of securities markets.

The Finance Ministry will also be working on draft amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, as well as bills amending the Currency Act, among others.

Together with Agriculture and Forestry Minister Nihat Kabil, Oresharski is due to table draft amendments to the Tobacco and Tobacco Products Act, an important law considering that most of the Bulgarians of Turkish descent are employed in the tobacco industry in the eastern Rhodope mountain region. 

Legislation on wheat storage and the Trade Law will also be on the agenda for the two ministers.

Kabil is expected to put forward a Fodder Bill.

Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov will produce a bill on soil management.

Four new bills will be on the schedule of Assen Gagauzov, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, including bills on the Black Sea coast, on Water Supply, Sewerage and Floor Property.  There are to be amendments to the Cadastre Act, the Property Register Act, and the Regional Development Act.

The team led by Nikolai Vassilev, the Minister of State Administration, will put forward two bills, one on e-commerce and the other on e-government.

Economy and Energy Minister Roumen Ovcharov will table bills on consumer loans and on the insolvency of energy companies. Other planned legislation by Ovcharov’s ministry includes amendments to the Energy Act and the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Act. Amendments are aimed at changes in the areas of investments in renewable resources, market regulations and control of district heating intermediaries.

The bill will be submitted for approval by the Cabinet on January 26 and later on tabled in Parliament. The changes are supposed to expand the current system of preferential prices for power generation from renewable energy sources and to secure eight-year purchase arrangements to all new entrants in the sector.

Justice Minister Georgi Petkanov will put forward two new codes - the Civil Procedure Code and the Family Code. Petkanov is also scheduled to draft a Commercial Register Bill.

Culture Minister Stefan Danailov is to put forward amendments concerning cultural monuments, museums and the film industry.

Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski is planning amendments to four laws - on blood transfusion, on blood donation, on transplantations of organs, tissues and cells, and on medical insurance.

Labour and Social Policy Minister Emiliya Maslarova will work on amendments to the Social Security Code and the Labour Code.

There are also to be amendments to the Anti-Discrimination Act as well as the Employment Encouragement Act.

Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev will propose amendments to three laws - on civil aviation, on automobile and rail transport.

Amendments to the Traffic Act are to be proposed jointly by Mutafchiev and Interior Minister Roumen Petkov.