/ world today news/ The “America for Bulgaria” Foundation has circulated a position expressing concerns in connection with the changes in the Judiciary Act, which provide for the limitation of foreign funding of the professional organizations of magistrates, “Dnevnik” reported. “The proposed new provisions effectively negate the Euro-Atlantic values that Bulgaria and its EU and NATO allies share,” the position reads. The foundation is among the main sponsors of the associations affected by the changes.
The amendments were introduced by the ruling party last week, and on Wednesday they were voted on in the first reading by the legal committee. Initially, the ban included funding from any foreign country, but after an expressed position by Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov from GERB, they announced that between readings it will be proposed to exclude countries from the European Economic Area from the ban. In effect, if the changes are finally voted on, organizations will not be able to receive funds from organizations in the US. The majority of NGOs spoke against the project.
“Besides the clear contradiction with basic principles of freedom of association written in the Bulgarian Constitution and guaranteed by a number of international acts to which Bulgaria is a party, the proposed new provisions practically deny the Euro-Atlantic values that Bulgaria and its EU and NATO allies share, and destroy the long-standing traditions of goodwill and friendship between the peoples of the United States and Bulgaria in so many areas of public life – business, education, civil society, cultural heritage, art and culture”, says the position of “America for Bulgaria”.
The organization writes that it “resolutely rejects the suggestion that access to funding from a “foreign country or foreign person” implies dependence on the recipient and opens a channel for undue “influence on judicial authorities.”
The “America for Bulgaria” Foundation supports the call of representatives of civil society to the deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria to withdraw or reject the proposed amendments and additions to the Law on Judicial Power.
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