Bulgaria Chief Prosecutor: Judicial Body's Resignation 'Impossible'

There is no legal mechanism allowing the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) to step down, in line with demands of the main ruling parties, Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov has said.

In an interview with private national NOVA TV station aired on Saturdday, he has commented on current affairs in the judicial system, including the EU Commission's report on Bulgaria this week and the scandals in the VSS, a high decisionmaking body often dubbed "the government of the judiciary".

He has criticized lawmakers for asking for the resignation just a month after having approved the new rules for its work through constitutional changes and has sided with the VSS, which earlier this week declare its members would not stepped down.

While a collective resignation is not possible under the law, VSS members can quit individually.

He has also commented on allegations hurled by his critics and some members of the ruling coalition of overreaching influence of the Chief Prosecutor's Office on life in Bulgaria and has maintained they are looking for political dividends, rather than telling the truth.

Asked about the fate of collapsed Corporate Commercial Bank (KTB)'s owner Tsvetan Vasilev and the extradition request issued by Sofia and sent to Belgrade, he has admitted that, considering the time it is taking for the extradition to happen, one can suppose it might not happen at all.

The businessman is thought to be in Serbia, with the Bulgarian authorities demanding that he be extradited in relation to charges he is facing over the developments at KTB. His bank was exposed to a bank run and placed under supervision from central bank BNB.