Sofia, January 23 (BTA) - At an extraordinary sitting Tuesday Parliament debates a motion by the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) for a vote of no-confidence against the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov over what the Socialists see as the government's failed counter-corruption policy.

Addressing the MPs, BSP Chairperson Kornelia Ninova said that corruption is not something new "but the incumbent cabinet of Boyko Borissov has transformed it into a government policy while speaking against corruption has become a threat to national security". "The deafening absence in the plenary chamber of the Prime Minister is a self-confession of guilt for corruption," Ninova said. She asked the MPs to remember how Borissov used to manage the customs authority several years ago. "Easy - by calling [head of the customs, the late] Vanyo [Tanov] and asking him to withdraw inspectors from a given location as Borissov had promised not to check a particular consignment and he is known as a person who delivers on his promises," Ninova said. She continued by noting that today, this is done using more modern means. Implying the flawed excise goods control system, Ninova said that "now, one can order an electronic system, set a password to many people, access the system any time and delete ten trucks carrying cigarettes, another ten carrying fuels, while the prosecuting magistracy shrugs and says, 'we can't do anything, the perpetrator is unknown'". Ninova argued that excise duty revenue has increased not because of the cabinet's efforts to counteract contraband trade but because the duty was upped.

Presenting the reasoning for the no-confidence motion, BSP MP Kroum Zarkov said that "the motion is a raw necessity brought upon by the own action and flagrant inaction in respect of corruption of the government of GERB and the United Patriots". According to Zarkov, the problem with corruption is easily visible "in the ratings of the World bank, the World Economic Forum, the European Commission, of Transparency International". He said that 88.5 per cent of polled participants in public procurement in 2017 said that the bids were not objectively assessed. Zarkov also spoke about the passage of "a flawed anti-corruption law", of the fact that the Finance Minister has admitted that the healthcare system is fraught with interests and rife with thefts - 4 billion leva are being stolen from it annually.

"It is profoundly untrue and speculative to claim that there is no will, that nothing is done, that there are no policies, and that the Government of GERB and the United Patriots is unable and unwilling to deal with corruption. The Government is implementing the programmes for countering both high level and 'petty' corruption," Justice Minister Tsetska Tsacheva said, addressing the legislature during the debate.

In support of her statement, she quoted a Eurobarometer survey, which found that 68 per cent of European believe that corruption is endemic in their country. Bulgarians rank 12th in this survey. As many as 96 per cent of the Greeks and 94 per cent of the Spaniards say that corruption is a serious problem.

Tsacheva was adamant that the Government is honouring its commitments consistently and comprehensively to combat corrupt practices. She urged the opposition to make its own contribution by well-intentioned proposals.

The Justice Minister recalled the legislative action on which the participants in a recent meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security agreed: the Counter-Corruption Act that has already been passed, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code to speed up the administration of justice, including on high-level corruption, and revisions of the Administration Act.

Tsacheva quoted statistics provided by the Supreme Judicial Council, showing that 57 high-level corruption cases were instituted between 2014 and 2017, including tax offence and vote buying cases against 17 MPs, malfeasance cases against 17 local government officials and 22 judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates, and cases in connection with the conclusion of unprofitable transactions against 5 CEOs of State-owned enterprises.

Under the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the no confidence motion will be put to the vote not earlier than 24 hours after the end of the debate. According to the Constitution, to be carried, a no confidence motion requires a majority of more than a half of all 240 MPs, or a minimum of 121 votes.