Parliament gathered a quorum of 201 people's representatives.
Deputies should discuss lifting the ban on lawyers advertising their activities and using intermediaries, the draft program of the National Assembly for this week envisages. These amendments to the Law on Advocacy were introduced by the Council of Ministers (CoM) and are the second item on the proposed agenda published on the institution's website.
The reasons state that the European Commission (EC) has initiated an infringement procedure against the Republic of Bulgaria due to the incompatibility of the ban on lawyers advertising their activities and attracting clients through the use of an intermediary. The aim of the changes is to popularize the legal profession in compliance with the requirements of the law and the ethical norms of the legal profession. Restrictions on the use of false or misleading information, unreasonable comparison with other lawyers, as well as promising specific results are regulated.
Parliament is expected to discuss another bill to amend the Law on the Bar, proposed by Anna Alexandrova (GERB-SDS) and a group of people's representatives. It provides for the removal of the ban on negotiating remunerations below a certain minimum amount. The aim, according to the petitioners, is the determination of a fair, justified and commensurate with the dignity of the profession remuneration, without a mandatory minimum amount. In the absence of an agreed fee for the legal assistance provided, the bar council determines such based on criteria provided for in an ordinance issued by the Minister of Justice on the proposal of the Supreme Bar Council.
Prior to that, the MPs are expected to discuss two bills to amend and supplement the Trade Act, introduced by the Council of Ministers. The first bill provides a legal opportunity to achieve an accelerated liquidation of legal entities that have no activity, employed employees or registration under the Value Added Tax Act in the last twelve months. Companies that have no obligations to the state and municipalities, as well as tax obligations and obligations for social security contributions, will be able to benefit from the simplified liquidation.
The second amendment bill to the Commercial Law proposes a general regulation of the rules for cross-border transformation, by means of infusion, merger, division and spin-off, when at least one of the companies participating in the transformation is established in accordance with the legislation of another member state of the European Union (EU ) or a country party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and has its registered office, address of management or principal place of business within the EU.
The draft program of the parliament also includes the second reading of amendments to the Accounting Act.
Deputies are expected to discuss a draft decision to extend by 180 days the negotiations with Ukraine for the sale of equipment intended for the "Belene" NPP project, in order to carry out certain activities. The people's representatives will also consider a draft decision on assigning to the Council of Ministers the inclusion of nitrous oxide (paradise gas) in the lists of narcotic substances under the Law on the Control of Narcotic Substances and Precursors.
The report on the activities of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, including the financial report for 2023, is also included in the draft agenda, reports BTA.