Bulgarian anti-corruption legislative reforms

Bulgarian deputies ended their summer recess early to address urgent legislative requirements tied to the country’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). The primary goal was to amend the State Civil Servants Act to meet European commitments by late August.

The proposed legislation introduces mandatory integrity testing for civil servants in high-risk roles, specifically those involved in public procurement, the management of public funds, and the administration of state or municipal property. Under the new rules, a successful test remains valid for three years, while those who fail are barred from similar positions for one year.

Following a meeting of the parliamentary legal commission, the amendments were approved. While the framework aims to mitigate corruption, some lawmakers raised concerns regarding potential ambiguity in how the law handles the termination or reassignment of officials who fail the tests. To maintain administrative continuity, a provision was included allowing certain appointment procedures to bypass testing until November 30.

As the Parliament considers these amendments, introduced by the Council of Ministers, new details have emerged regarding the implementation timeline. The current provisions suggest that new requirements for appointments, promotions, or reassignments may primarily target staff starting December 1, 2026, once technical and methodological frameworks are established. Additionally, the legislation proposes allowing civil servants to work remotely for up to two days per week. Critics have raised concerns regarding potential double standards between existing and new staff, as well as the risk of the law being utilized for “political purges.”