Bulgaria has received an official positive opinion on its readiness for membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the field of anti-corruption, the Ministry of Justice announced.
The OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions has given Bulgaria the green light on its path to joining the organization. According to the group, this country has satisfactorily fulfilled all key recommendations related to the accession process in the area of anti-corruption.
The Working Group conducted a comprehensive review of Bulgaria's preparedness for OECD membership. The assessment focused on the implementation of recommendations regarding the application of the standards set out in the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, as well as its accompanying legal instruments, the Ministry of Justice said.
High marks were also given for the legislative reforms undertaken in Bulgaria, including in the criminalization of bribery, the framework for liability of legal persons, measures to combat false accounting, and the protection of whistleblowers reporting corruption.
It was further noted that work remains on two recommendations, which will be subject to the OECD's regular follow-up monitoring applicable to member countries. These relate to enabling the use of special investigative techniques in autonomous proceedings to establish the liability of legal persons for offences committed by their representatives, and reconsidering the legal prohibition on initiating criminal proceedings on the basis of anonymous allegations.
On Wednesday, the caretaker government approved a letter to be sent to the Chair of the OECD Investment Committee outlining Bulgaria's progress and position on the recommendations addressed to the country on June 3, 2024. These relate to Bulgaria's accession to the legal instruments within the Committee's remit, including the OECD Codes of Liberalisation, and identify the areas where the country's position needs to be strengthened.
The OECD Investment Committee is set to carry out a new review of Bulgaria in April, based on an updated report by the OECD Secretariat assessing the alignment of national legislation and practices with the principles enshrined in OECD legal instruments.