120 POLITICS - PRESIDENT RADEV - CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

President Radev Refers Controversial
State Property Act Revisions
to Constitutional Court


Sofia, June 4 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev has referred to the Constitutional Court controversial revisions to the State Property Act, the presidential Press Secretariat said here on Tuesday. The President's move follows a vote in the legislature which overcame his veto of the revisions.

By taking the matter to the Constitutional Court, the President upholds the position he expressed when he imposed a veto on the amendments, his Press Secretariat said.

On May 15, Parliament passed conclusively revisions to the State Property Act streamlining the procedure for expropriation of private immovables for state needs and designating industrial zones or technological parks with the requisite infrastructure for the attraction of investments as "national works".

The President said he firmly supported the main purpose of the amendments - to optimize and accelerate the process of building significant national sites - and welcomed changes to promote investments in the industrial sector, but nevertheless vetoed the provisions last week, believing that there is no balance between public interest and private property protected by the Constitution, and that there is a risk of delaying important infrastructure projects instead of accelerating them.

Two days later, Parliament unanimously rejected the presidential veto.

Now Radev is asking the Constitutional Court to declare certain provisions as unconstitutional and non-compliant with international agreements. LI/MY
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