Bulgarian MPs override presidential veto of State Agency for National Security Act amendments
Bulgaria’s National Assembly voted on October 23 to overturn President Roumen Radev’s veto on amendments to the country’s State Agency for National Security (SANS) Act, which changes the procedure for appointing the head of the agency.
There were 127 votes in favour of overriding the veto, 92 opposed, and one abstention.
In his motives for the veto, Radev argued that the change to have the head of SANS appointed by an act of Parliament, rather than presidential decree, would politicise the process and was unlikely to result in stability and predictability, as claimed by the bill’s supporters.
Bulgaria’s constitution grants the head of state a limited power of veto, through enabling the President to return legislation to the National Assembly for further discussion.
The National Assembly may overturn the President’s veto through a simple majority vote or accept the veto and review the vetoed clauses. Since taking office in January 2017, Radev made liberal use of the power and this was his 41st vetoed bill.
The National Assembly overturned the veto on all but eight occasions – seven times the veto was accepted by MPs and, in the other case, the government coalition at the time failed to muster the support needed to overturn it.
(Photo: parliament.bg)
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