No mass cases, a cartel of non-compliance with the tariff among private enforcement agents have been established. This was stated in parliament by Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev in response to a question during parliamentary control by MP Hristo Rastashki from the MECH party.
In his question, Rastashki indicates that there is a cartel among private enforcement agents for mass increases in fees in enforcement cases. He asks the minister what measures will be taken to end this illegal practice of increasing fees and whether inspections are being undertaken.
"Such specific violations of a cartel have not been established. 251 inspections were carried out last year on private enforcement agents by the inspectorate. For this year so far, there have been 101 inspections, every day I sign several orders for new inspections", the minister informed. He asked that if there is specific data on specific enforcement proceedings, the Ministry of Justice be notified, assuring the MP that in an extremely short period of time he would engage the inspectorate at the ministry for specific private enforcement agents. "To say that there is such a fundamental violation of the rules by the entire guild, there is no data available from the inspections carried out", the minister said.
He informed that a working group has been established in the Ministry of Justice, which aims to analyze the work of private enforcement agents. They are raising the issue of increasing fees, since they have not been updated since 2006. The ministry's categorical position is that such an update is not currently necessary, said Georgiev. The working group also raises other issues of judicial enforcement, we analyze the practice of bailiffs based on our inspections, the minister said.
Georgiev assured that the ministry has tried to increase the number of inspections in the last four months since Georgiev became minister, and not only on specific occasions regarding the property mafia, but also in connection with unregulated practices and the possibility of splitting a claim. In order to have something concrete to respond to, we must have a specific signal about a bailiff or an enforcement case, said Georgi Georgiev.
Regarding the inspections, he said that a schedule has been made for more intensive inspections, the capacity of the inspectorate under the Minister of Justice must be increased, because notaries, bailiffs, receivers and arbitration courts fall within its scope.