Parliament Adopts Amendments to Interior Ministry Act
Parliament adopted in principle Cabinet-sponsored amendments to the Interior Ministry Act Wednesday merging the services of Civil Defence and Fire Safety and Pre-Trial Proceedings and Criminal Police.The draft amendments propose a set of measures oriented towards enhancing the coordination between the directorates of Fire Safety and Civil Defence, the sponsors say. They will be united into a single Fire Safety and Protection of Population Chief Directorate. The changes are aimed at eliminating the overlapping of functions, reducing the administration and enhancing the organization of work through shortening the time for reaction of the new structure.The restructuring of the hitherto Pre-Trial Proceedings Directorate and Criminal Police Directorate will enhance the efficiency of pre-trial proceedings and will enhance the operation of the administrative directorates. Part of the police investigators will be transferred to the Chief Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime and the Border Police Chief Directorate.New norms, related to the meeting of the criteria for Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area, are created and specific concepts of the European legislation are introduced. The amendments envisage the possibility for air surveillance of the country's borders, which is also required with a view to the membership of the Schengen Area.