Information about the legislative activity and parliamentary control held in 2015

In the year 2015, the National Assembly has adopted 138 laws, 156 resolutions and 2 declarations. The information containing the above statistics was prepared by the parliamentary Press Center and the Plenary Sittings and Final Texts Directorate of the National Assembly and covers the period from January 1st – December 17th 2015. The National Assembly has held 131 plenary sittings including 11extraordinary ones.

The bills moved during the above period amount to 570; 348 tabled by lawmakers. The draft resolutions submitted to the National Assembly in 2015 were 162, the draft addresses and declarations 16.

In 2015 the parliament has spent 145 hours and 46 minutes on its oversight duties. 125 hours and 46 minutes were dedicated to regular control; 20 hours to blitz control. The parliamentary control was carried throughout 38 Fridays and 2 extraordinary sittings. Blitz control was held during 10 sittings. In 2015 the National Assembly received 1699 questions and 123 enquiries. Government members had answered 1353 questions and 74 enquiries.

Information about the legislative activity of the 43rd National Assembly held during its Forth Session

During its Forth Session the National Assembly has adopted 55 laws, 51 resolutions and 1 declaration. The parliament has held 46 plenary sittings including 5 extraordinary ones.

In the period from September 1st to December 17th, 2015, 74 bills were submitted to the National Assembly, 37 authored by individual MPs. In the same period 45 draft resolutions, 38 moved by lawmakers were filed.
During the Forth Session, the NA passed 9 completely new acts. Among them the Preschool and School Education Act, the State Intelligence Agency Act, the Military Intelligence Act, the Accounting Act, the European Structural and Investment Funds Management Act, the Insurance Code, as well as the 2016 State Budget Act; the 2016 National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act and the 2016 State Social Security Budget Act.

In 2015 the National Assembly passed amendments to: the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Penal Code, the Special Intelligence Techniques Act, the Medical Establishments Act, the Public Procurement Act, the Asylum and Refugees Act etc. The NA voted a resolution in connection with the invitation addressed to Montenegro to become member of NATO.

Information about the parliamentary oversight held during the Fourth Session of the 43rd National Assembly

The time dedicated to parliamentary control amounted to 31 hours and 21 minutes. 25 hours and 21 minutes regular control and 6 hours blitz control. The oversight was held during 12 Friday’s sittings; blitz control was carried out in 3 sittings.

During the Forth Session, the NA has received 516 questions and 37 enquiries. Cabinet members had answered 344 questions and 14 enquiries.

The highest number of answers was provided by finance minister Vladislav Goranov – 60. Next is the minister of regional development Lilyana Pavlova with 45 answers. Interior minister Rumiana Bachvarova answered 40 questions; Desislava Taneva – minister of agriculture and food – 38; the minister of education and science Todor Tanev -23, the minister of demographic and social policy Ivaylo Kalfin – 18, the minister of environment and waters  Ivelina Vasileva – 17; the minister of defense  Nikolay Nenchev – 16.

The highest number of questions belongs to MP Petar Slavov – 81 followed by Svetoslav Belemezov - 39, Martin Dimitrov - 37, Valentin Pavlov – 26, Svetla Bachvarova – 25, Krasimir Yankov – 20.

Distribution by parties: Reformist Bloc – 162 questions and 7 enquiries; BSP – left Bulgaria – 158 questions and 8 enquiries. The parliamentary group of ABV party raised 64 questions and 3 enquiries, the Patriotic Front parliamentary group – 30 questions and 14 enquiries, the ATAKA party – 25 questions, the PG of Bulgarian Democratic Center – 19 questions and 2 enquiries; the PF of MRF (Movement for Rights and Freedoms) raised 18 questions and 3 enquiries. MPs not affiliated with parliamentary groups have raised 16 questions.

In the time of blitz control the total of 43 questions were addressed to Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his deputies. The questions looked for clarifications on such issues as the absorption of European funds, the National program on energy efficiency of multifamily residential buildings, on the development and the preparations taking place in regards to the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the European Union, the policies aimed at alleviating poverty, the commitments of Bulgaria in respect  to refugees, on the Bulgarian nomination for president of the United Nations Organization, the 2016 budget of the country, the modernization of the Bulgarian army, etc.