site.btaAssociation of Judges in Bulgaria to Address EC, Court in Strasbourg about Recent Revisions to Judicial Power Act

Sofia, August 11 (BTA) - The Association of Judges in Bulgaria (AJB) will alert the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg about the latest revisions to the Judicial Power Act, it emerged from an address of the organization released to the media Friday.

The reasons for AJB's decision are the adopted revisions to the Judicial System Act providing for mandatory declaration by the magistrates of membership in non-governmental organisations, not excluding professional organisations, within a month after the amendments become effective.

The magistrates say this change is only masked as providing "transparency". They recall that the "petrifying effect" of this obligation has also been accounted by the most authoritative international magistrate organizations such as the International Association of Judges and MEDEL (Magistrats europeens pour la democratie et les libertes) in their opinions.

The Association of Judges reminds its members that the deadline for submission of declarations for membership in the organization expires on 14.09.2017. Every judge may declare membership or leave the organization at will, the association specifies.

Other revisions to the Judicial Power Act that the organization says are "unconstitutional and no less dangerous", and against which it has protested already, include the mandatory and not subject to any judgment removal of magistrates against whom there are charges of general crimes, as well as the change that members of the Supreme Judicial Council and its Inspectorate should return to any position they want in the system after their mandate expires.