February 11, 2003
Mr. Radi Naidenov, Chief of Cabinet of the
Prime Minister (an address on behalf of the Prime
Minister)
"Ladies and gentlemen, Your Excellencies! Let me say
how pleased I am that Coalition 2000 has yet again organized
a forum dedicated to the subject of counteracting corruption.
Regrettably, pressing commitments prevent me from joining the
discussion today. Nevertheless, there are a few important points I
wish to stress.
The fight against corruption has been a priority of
the government since the very beginning of its term. What is more,
it was one of the pre-election commitments of the Simeon II
National Movement and one that drew unconditional public
support.
Over the past year our efforts were aimed at
implementation of the National Strategy to Fight Corruption adopted
on October 1, 2001. The Cabinet proposed amendments to the Penal
Code and endorsed a Program to Counteract Corruption. Our main
areas of activity comprise customs, the tax administration, the
Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the judiciary. The customs
reform, the outset of which was ridden by a great many problems,
was our first step towards reducing corruption pressure.
According to our plans, by the end of the current
year each ministry will have mailboxes for corruption-related
reports. A special commission headed by the Minister of Justice has
been set up to ensure proper coordination between all of the
programs. Yet, in my opinion, if we are to bring the process to a
successful end, it is imperative to carry out the judiciary reform.
Anti-corruption measures are an important element of the amendments
to the Law on the Judiciary that we have drafted - income
declaration, limited terms in office within the system,
accreditation, and transparency.
It is important to note that our achievements to
date have been recognized by the European Commission in its regular
report on the progress made by Bulgaria towards accession to the
European Union.
Ladies and gentlemen, when opening the winter
session of the National Assembly I declared our will to engage in
the judiciary reform representatives of the opposition, of the
courts, as well as of non-governmental organizations realizing the
need for legislative changes in this area. I do believe this is the
only way we can reach the necessary consensus. As regards
conducting this broad public debate we very much count on our hosts
today - Coalition 2000 - since we are all aware of their
role with respect to the fight against corruption.
There is another point I would like to stress. The
measures envisioned will only succeed if they are supported by our
fellow countrymen. That is why we should all together cultivate
public non-acceptance of this phenomenon; we should motivate each
Bulgarian citizen to take a committed position and this position
should be: "I do not corrupt". Let me emphasize this again: "I do
not corrupt". Because while the moral conduct of a given politician
or public official is very important, it is just as important that
each citizen refuse to tolerate corrupt practices and
interrelations. Only then will the measures taken by the government
produce the desired impact.
I am persuaded that your forum, too, brings us
closer to this goal and hope your efforts will be most
productive!
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria"
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