Government submits bill to tighten wealth investigations of officials and public servants

On Tuesday the government delivered a draft legislation to the parliament intended to protect public assets and rebuild confidence in public life. The bill calls for stricter examination of wealth growth among members of parliament, political heads and high-ranking civil servants, emphasizing that state property belongs to the people and must not become a tool for private enrichment. Under the draft, the National Tax and Customs Administration would carry out targeted risk-assessment procedures, extending to spouses, partners, co-habitants and close family members, and could request data from other agencies, foreign authorities and publicly available sources.

Collected data would be kept for five years, and any indication of tax evasion could trigger an audit, while suspected criminal conduct would lead to investigations by the tax authority’s investigative unit, the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, prosecutors or police. The draft also calls for public reporting of cases where tax shortfalls are identified.