MPs Submitted a Draft Law on Controlling Foreign Funding for NGOs in Bulgaria

A group of MPs from the United Patriots Parliamentary Group submitted a Draft Law amending and supplementing the Non-profit Legal Entities Act in the Bulgarian Parliament. The Draft Law proposes an amendment to the Non-profit Legal Entities Act in two parts – the part regarding the functioning of the Civil Society Development Council, as well as proposing the creation of a new legal framework on declaring and controlling the funding of NGOs received from a foreign country, or from a foreign natural or legal person. As a response, Bulgarian CSOs published a statement suggesting that changes and amendments are discriminatory, disproportionate, and unconstitutional. According to Anna Rurka, President of the Conference of INGOs, the amendments are inconsistent with Bulgaria’s commitment to secure the right to respect for private life and freedom of association under the European Convention on Human Rights, they are also inconsistent with the obligations regarding the free movement of capital under EU law. Read more here.

Source: Civic Space Watch/ CoE