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The newly elected government "Denkov-Gabriel" held its first meeting.

Here are the decisions the cabinet took:

The Rules of Organization of the Council of Ministers shall be amended according to the structure of the new government

The government adopted a Decree amending the Rules of Organization of the Council of Ministers and its administration. The amendments reflect the new structure of the Council of Ministers, adopted by a Decision of the National Assembly of June 6, 2023.

The government appointed Rumen Spesov as Executive Director of the NRA

The Council of Ministers dismissed Boris Mihaylov from the post of Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency (NRA) due to a deterioration in VAT revenue collection.

Rumen Spesov was reappointed head of the Agency. Rumen Spesov is a highly qualified expert with extensive experience in the National Revenue Agency and in the field of tax policy and legislation, as well as the protection of national security.

He graduated from the D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics – Svishtov with majors in Economics and Trade and Internal Financial Control, the Academy of the Ministry of Interior with a degree in National Security Protection.

In the period 2001 – 2015 he held various expert and managerial positions in the National Revenue Agency. His professional experience is related to the analysis and investigation of tax fraud, risk assessment of the commercial sectors, joint work with the State Agency for National Security, the Prosecutor's Office and foreign partner organizations and services. He was a consultant in the field of finance and tax law. From May 2021 to August 2022, he held the position of Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency.

Rumen Spesov with his first comment on whether he is returning to the NRA

The Bulgarian position for the upcoming meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, format "Home Affairs" is approved

The Council of Ministers approved the Bulgarian position for participation in the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, Home Affairs format, which will be held on June 8, 2023 in Sofia. Luxembourg, Luxembourg. During the meeting, a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the management of asylum and migration and the amendment of Council Directive 2003/109 and the proposed Regulation (EC) XXX/XXX (Asylum and Migration Fund) will be considered. An amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common asylum procedure in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU will also be discussed. Ministers will also discuss the topics: combating violent extremism and terrorism; the overall state of the Schengen area; visa policy - monitoring of visa-exempt regimes.

The cabinet approved Bulgaria's positions on key directives to be discussed at a meeting of the Council of the European Union "Justice and Home Affairs" in Luxembourg

The Council of Ministers approved today Bulgaria's positions for the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union, part "Justice", which will be held on 9 June 2023 in Luxembourg. On the agenda is the adoption of a general approach by the Council on five proposals for directives.

With regard to Directive amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, Bulgaria supports the changes that reflect current trends in the prevention and counteraction of trafficking in human beings and address the shortcomings identified in the current European legal framework.

Bulgaria will support the proposal for a Directive on asset forfeiture and confiscation, which aims to establish minimum rules for tracing and identification, freezing and asset management in criminal proceedings and to strengthen the capacity of competent authorities to deprive offenders of the proceeds of crime.

A directive on the protection of persons engaged in public participation from strategic judicial proceedings ('SLAPP') is one of the initiatives foreseen in the European Action Plan for Democracy, aimed at strengthening media freedom and pluralism. The aim is to provide procedural safeguards in civil proceedings with cross-border implications. Bulgaria believes that the Directive ensures a sufficient balance in the protection of fundamental rights and will support the common approach to the proposal.

With regard to another key directive - a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating violence against women and domestic violence - our country appreciates the efforts made to achieve a balanced revision of the problematic provisions. At the same time, a declaration will be submitted that, given the two decisions of the Constitutional Tribunal in 2018 and 2021, Bulgaria cannot accept the concept of "gender" or the use of an approach based on this concept.

The proposal for a Directive on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions for breaches of Union restrictive measures aims to introduce dissuasive and proportionate types and levels of penalties, support for cross-border investigations and prosecutions, etc. Bulgaria supports the common approach given the importance of adopting adequate and timely measures to criminalize the violation of EU restrictive measures.

The meeting is expected to provide information on the EU's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as on the activities of the European Public Prosecutor's Office in 2022.

Acad. We don't have time, no one will give us a hundred days.

Bulgaria's position for the upcoming informal meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council approved

The government approved the position of the Republic of Bulgaria for the upcoming informal meeting of the Council of the European Union on Agriculture and Fisheries, which will be held in the period 11-13 June 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden.

During the informal meeting, European agriculture ministers are expected to hold a discussion on "The contribution of EU agriculture and forestry to food, energy and security in feed and plant fibre – long-term steps towards a resource-efficient thriving bioeconomy in a sustainable, net-zero consumption world". The country's position states that one of the main challenges facing agriculture is the introduction of greener practices that should not affect food security. Increasing demands on primary production in order to reduce environmental and climate impacts must also ensure a fair economic return for producers. Before promoting new green business models and moving towards a circular bio-based economy and sustainable production, key economic challenges should be addressed. It is therefore necessary to support farms to adapt to greener practices in the face of a series of unforeseen market disruptions resulting from the health crisis, extreme weather events and war-related difficulties in Ukraine.

With regard to the forestry sector, initiatives taken at EU level to stimulate the remuneration of ecosystem services from forests, certify carbon sinks, stimulate wider use of wood and its recycling cannot offset the burden on the sector imposed under the Prepared for Target 55 package. On the other hand, legislative initiatives under the package will lead to increased demand for wood and forest biomass as substitutes for polluting and non-recyclable products and an alternative to fossil fuels. The Bulgarian position also states that the tools and measures to implement the green transition should be aimed at achieving smarter, more precise and more sustainable agriculture, which is more based on knowledge and digital technologies. Financial incentives for investment in innovative practices and technologies make an important contribution to strengthening farmers' interest in science and innovation.

Bulgaria's position on the process of identifying effective measures and tools for the implementation of the green transition states that it is necessary to take into account national and regional specifics, soil and climatic conditions, as well as the structure of agriculture and forestry in individual Member States. The country considers that at national level in agriculture, appropriate tools are to increase the share of integrated production, increase the share of areas under organic production and conversion to it. Measures are envisaged to introduce the remuneration of ecosystem services from forests, which will help diversify forestry revenues.

The government approved the Bulgarian position for an upcoming meeting of EPSCO, part "Healthcare"

The Council of Ministers adopted a Decision approving the position of the Republic of Bulgaria and the mandate for its presentation during a regular meeting of the Council of the European Union on Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (part "Health") (EPSCO), which will be held on June 13, 2023 in Sofia. Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Ministers will hold a debate on "Strengthening the pharmaceutical ecosystem to support competitiveness and fair access to medicines". Bulgaria will stress that the adoption of centralised decisions at EU level should be accompanied by a careful impact assessment in order to ensure a fair balance of interests - especially for countries with low GDP, taking into account the different perspectives of the Member States, the needs and resources that each country has and the possible solutions at national level. Valuable and instructive in this regard is the experience with joint COVID-19 vaccine procedures. According to Bulgaria, the creation of a favorable environment for the development and competitiveness of the EU pharmaceutical industry should, above all else, be consistent with the public interest, and the patient's interest in effective and safe therapy should remain at the center of drug policy.

During the meeting, delegations will adopt a Council Recommendation to build on EU action to combat antimicrobial resistance in the context of the One Health approach. Delegations are expected to agree on the common position (common approach) on the draft Regulation on fees and charges payable to the European Medicines Agency. The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU will present two reports on the progress of the negotiation process on the priority legislative dossier in the health sector.

First working day for newly elected ministers and prime minister

Bulgaria's position on a case of the Court of Justice of the European Union is approved

By its decision, the Council of Ministers approved Bulgaria's position on a preliminary ruling case before the Court of Justice of the European Union, initiated on request by the Administrative Court - Haskovo. The main proceedings, heard by the Haskovo Administrative Court, were initiated in connection with an administrative offence established by the Electronic Toll System under Article 10(1) of the Convention. <> of the Highway Act.

The reference for a preliminary ruling is aimed at interpreting the provision of art. Directive 9/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 62 June 17 on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures(1999), according to which 'Member States shall establish appropriate controls and lay down a system of penalties applicable to infringements of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive. They shall take all necessary measures to ensure that these national provisions are implemented. The penalties established must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive."

In the position of our country it is pointed out that the norm of art. 9a of the Directive does not preclude a rule of national law which provides for the imposition of a fine of a fine of a fixed amount for infringements of the rules on road infrastructure, irrespective of the nature and gravity, and in addition provides for the possibility of exemption from administrative penal liability by payment of a compensatory fee.

Government meeting

National Revenue Agency

Rumen Spesov

rotational government