Ninova in the National Assembly: Paradise gas is not only distributed, but also advertised in schools and among children

„It has been seen - despite all the prohibitions that we have adopted several times in the Health Act, paradise gas is not only distributed, but also advertised in schools and among children. I.e. what we have done so far – it doesn't work. I regret to note that you have not accepted our proposal to include paradise gas in the list of narcotic substances. This would be a general and cardinal solution to the problem. And now we are faced with this problem again”.
This was stated by the People's Representative from the "BSP for Bulgaria" Kornelia Ninova during the debate on the changes to the Health Law related to the sale of Paradise gas.
She indicated the proposal of the BSP in paragraph 7, art. 54a: “The sale, including online, of paradise gas and paradise gas refills to natural persons is prohibited. And para. 2: The sale, including online, of paradise gas and paradise gas refills to legal entities is permitted only for medical purposes and for the cases of the Food Law“.
„I don't know what you did between the first and second readings. I don't know why you did it. I can only guess. I have long claimed that there is wild lobbying in these texts”, Kornelia Ninova reacted.
According to her, the text has acquired the following version, which must be voted on: “It is prohibited to natural persons, except in the cases of sole traders, whose subject of activity includes the sale of natural gas to traders in the sense of the Commercial Law”.
Ninova was categorical: “This is not a ban on the sale of paradise gas – this is legalizing the sale of paradise gas, this is a loophole in the law. Because the text on the ban on legal entities, except for medical purposes and the food industry, is not there at all. I.e. may to all legal entities and may to natural persons who are sole traders, have recorded in the subject of activity the sale of heavenly gas and sell it to traders in the sense of the Commercial Law.“, said from the parliamentary tribune Cornelia Ninova and appeals to the people's representatives not to support this text in its version.
She emphasized that she has checked thoroughly and so far there is no trader who has registered to sell paradise gas as a business. “You say in the law that it can be registered with such a subject of activity that we are fighting for the sake of our children. And the registered sole trader can sell to other traders under the Trade Act, said Ninova, arguing, citing the specific text of the Trade Act.
„What is this? You forbid natural persons, you allow sole traders to include it in their subject of activity and, according to the Commercial Law, to sell to other natural persons who can resell it”, reacted Cornelia Ninova.
And she was categorical that this is hidden lobbying, hidden interests, hypocrisy, that there is a struggle with the problem. “And all this on the backs of our children. Don't you have children? Do you have any grandchildren? When we pass laws for choir children, don't you think about your own?“, Ninova addressed the deputies.
And he added: “Once again I appeal – do not support this text, although I have been dealing with it personally since this problem arose. Just to remind you that I was the Minister of the Economy and Deputy Prime Minister who introduced the first law to ban paradise gas. And you accepted it in 24 hours, in two readings, which was a miracle and we thanked you many times. Obviously, however, this law that we passed – it didn't work. Because there is no country. Has the state faced such a mafia – will stop her“, said Cornelia Ninova.
She emphasized that she has asked relevant ministers whether they know through customs and the National Revenue Agency how much natural gas is imported into Bulgaria:
„Through customs, detect it from third countries, through the NRA, detect it from the EU. And tell me what quantity is imported. I have asked the Minister of Health the following question: Tell me what quantity is used for the purposes of medicine? Agriculture – what amount is used in the food industry“, pointed out Ninova.
According to her, no answers have been received yet. However, Ninova assumed that they would answer her: we do not keep such statistics. “But I am sure that there is a huge difference between the total amount imported into Bulgaria and the consumption for medical and food purposes. And that difference goes to the streets, goes to our children, and someone makes millions from it. And this clumsy text creates an even greater opportunity for them: to sell even more, to accumulate even more millions, to infect even more Bulgarian children”, she concluded.