Bulgaria

[BG] Reduction in the Number of Members of the Media Regulator

IRIS 2010-8:1/18

Rayna Nikolova

New Bulgarian University

The President of Bulgaria imposed a veto on the latest Act for the Amendment of the Radio and Television Act adopted by the National Assembly. Among the motives for the imposition of the veto was that by introducing a limitation on the members of the Council for Electronic Media on serving more than two consecutive mandates, a new specific limitation is created beyond those listed in Article 26 of the Radio and Television Act, as it is used as legal grounds for a pre-term termination of the mandate of council members apart from those listed in Article 30.

The National Assembly overrode the presidential veto and voted on 19 May 2010 and 16 June 2010 the amendments to the normative Act, which was promulgated in the State Gazette (issue No 47 dated 22 June 2010). By virtue of the act, the number of members of the Council for Electronic Media has been reduced from 9 members to 5, as two representatives from the Parliament and two representatives from the President were released from their duties.

A commission from the Administration of the President held on 22 June 2010 a procedure for determining, by lot, a member of the Council for Electronic Media from the presidential quota whose mandate should be terminated. The lot was organised on the grounds of § 5 of the Act for the Amendment of the Radio and Television Act.