President: Bulgaria Has No Time To Waste as Regards Judicial Reform

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has urged MPs to back the set of proposed amendments to the Constitution on Friday so that the implementation of the judicial reform is not delayed further.

Commenting on the ongoing consultations between ruling and opposition parties on draft constitutional amendments, Plevneliev underscored in a media statement that it was essential to waste no more time as regards judicial reform.

He expressed his firm support for Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov and his activities related to the implementation of Bulgaria's judicial reform strategy.

Bulgaria's head of state argued that the split of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) into two colleges, as suggested in the draft amendments to the Constitution, had to take place in line with the principle of the independence of the judiciary, with the communities of judges and prosecutors enjoying the freedom of self-governance without political intervention.

Plevneliev claimed that achieving agreement on the establishment of a two-college Supreme Judicial Council and on the strengthening of the role of the VSS Inspectorate was a good starting point which had to be endorsed.

He said that this would pave the way for the adoption of other good ideas such as the abolition of the secret ballot at VSS, the extension of the categories of persons eligible to refer matters to the Constitutional Court, and the approval of changes to the Judiciary Act and a number of procedural laws.

Plevneliev urged MPs to make a responsible decision on the issue of continuing the judicial reform on Friday.