Supreme Judicial Council

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) will make a third attempt to elect a Chair of the Sofia Appellate Court, the third biggest court in the country.

The only candidate is Neli Kutskova, Judge at the Sofia Appellate Court.

The Sofia Appellate Court upheld on Thursday the verdict of the Sofia City Court, which had ruled to release Judge Rumyana Chenalova on bail.

The Appellate Court dismissed the request of the Prosecutor's Office to return Chenalova back to custody, daily Dnevnik reports.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has drafted an appeal to the Constitutional Court against the new debt of BGN 16 B.

A motion needs to be backed by at least 48 MPs to reach the Constitutional Court, with BSP having a total of 39 MPs, according to dnevnik.bg.

The Bulgarian government proposed on Thursday amendments to the constitution, which foresee the division of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) into two colleges.

The amendments also propose the mandates of VSS members to be reduced to three or four years, Darik radio reports.

Bulgarian authorities are searching nationwide for Judge Rumyana Chenalova, who has been temporarily removed from office due to ongoing disciplinary proceedings against her.

Chenalova was not found at any of the addresses she listed in documents submitted to the court authorities, according to the prosecuting authority, as cited by dnevnik.bg.

Bulgaria's Justice Ministry plans to lay off around 700 officials of the Chief Directorate for the Execution of Sentences and judicial security staff and implement a restructuring of the Registry Agency, according to Deputy Justice Minister Petko Petkov.

Teodora Tochkova has been elected Chief Judicial Inspector at the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS).

Tochkova, Chair of the Haskovo Administrative Court, was elected with 195 votes in favor and one vote against.

The other candidate was Vera Chochkova, criminal law judge at the Sofia City Court.

Bulgarian MPs will pick a new Chief Judicial Inspector at the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS).

There are two candidates, Vera Chochkova and Teodora Tochkova, and the winner needs at least 160 votes in favor.

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has accepted the resignation of Bogdana Zhelyavska, Deputy Chair of the Sofia City Court, dnevnik.bg reported.

The SJC voted 19-0 to accept Zhelyavska's resignation on Wednesday. She is facing disciplinary action over suspected wrongdoing relating to the random assignment of court cases to judges, according to dnevnik.bg .

Bogdana Zhelyavska, Deputy Chair of the Sofia City Court, has resigned.

The motives for the resignation were not disclosed by the Sofia City Court administration.

Zhelyavska faces disciplinary action.

She is the third Deputy Chair of the Sofia City Court to resign after the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) removed Vladimira Yaneva from the post of Sofia City Court Chair.