Court clash erupts over president’s lost security powers

Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court accepted a challenge to recent security legislation changes, the judicial body’s communications office announced. A group of 59 lawmakers from the 51st National Assembly submitted the petition seeking to overturn modifications that stripped presidential authority over key security appointments.

The challenge targets revisions to Article 8 of the State Agency National Security law and the elimination of Article 7, paragraph 2, item 5 of the National Security Protection System Management and Functioning law. Parliament passed these alterations on Oct. 2, and they appeared in State Gazette issue 90 on Oct. 28. Judge Sasho Penov will serve as rapporteur for the proceedings.

The contested amendments removed the president’s power to name directors for three intelligence and security organizations. Legislators transferred appointment authority away from the head of state through the parliamentary vote that occurred last month.