Bulgaria's Parliament approved on February 29 at the first reading the three bills of amendment to the Public Property Act, put forth by Eleonora Nikolova from opposition Union of Democratic Forces, independent member of Parliament (MP) Maria Kapon and Remzi Osman from the co-ruling Movement for Right and Freedoms (MRF).
A day earlier, lawmakers debated the proposed amendments, focusing especially on the new regulations concerning the swap of municipal property.
Osman's amendments, backed by the ruling coalition, provide for an easier access to land owned by local administration, without any competitive tenders, Dnevnik daily reported. Although aimed to help people without proper housing, the opposition MPs argued that the amendments would spur corruption practices.
“You get a homeless person, or one without proper housing, and have him receive the permission to build on municipal land, then you take him to the notary and he transfers his rights over the land to you,” MP Atanas Atanasov from opposition Democrats for Strong Bulgaria said.
Another controversial amendment is a proposal for private property to be expropriated for municipal or government-backed projects even if the owner of the property does not consider the price offered as good enough.
