Bulgarian parliament discussed and adopted a draft bill on amendments to the Special Investigation Means Act.

The amendments envisage changes of the deadlines for the use of special investigation means towards targets with the purpose to ascertain the identity of people and the deadlines for activities connected with the national security in cases of prevention of heavy crimes under chapter one of the Penal Code.

The deadline for the use of special investigation means was increased with six months with an initial opportunity to make further 6 months extension, when the special investigation means are applied for activities connected with the national security, in the cases of prevention of heavy crimes under chapter one of the Penal Code.

At the same time, the MPs adopted restrictions in the use of special investigation means towards targets with the purpose to ascertain the identity of people. The deadline for the use of SIMs is set at 20 days, and may be extended with no more than 20 more days.

The amendments were adopted at first reading, after which MP Dimitar Lazarov with the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB), who filed the draft bill, proposed for the parliament to vote on the amendments on second reading today, since no changes were proposed during the debate.

Eventually, the amendments were adopted on second reading, too.