site.btaPresident Refrains from Imposing Veto on Amendments to Judicial System Act

Sofia, August 10 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev did not impose a veto on the amendments to the Judicial System Act (JSA), the Legal World website writes. This has become clear from the content of the next issue of the "State Gazette" to be publicized on Friday.

The JSA amendments are promulgated in the "State Gazette".

The website recalls that many non-governmental organizations and the Citizens Board with the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) appealed to the President to veto the amendments.

The amendment that has drawn the highest number of objections is the one of Article 230. It envisages the mandatory removal from office of magistrates charged with a serious criminal offence. Until now, magistrates were removed from office only if charged with crimes related to their judicial activity.

Earlier in the day the SJC Legal Commission came up with an opinion urging lawmakers to reconsider this provision.

The amendments also oblige all magistrates to declare their "activities and membership of organizations, including secret and/or informal organizations and societies, non-profit legal entities and civil associations" within 30 days of the entry of the amendments into force. This obligation also applies to the SJC members, the Chief Inspector and the inspectors of the SJC Inspectorate.

Under the amendments the incumbent members of the SJC whose term expires in October will have the right to select a position within the judicial system.

The amendments also envisage the establishment of a Partnership Council with the SJC including three SJC members, representatives of the magistrates' organizations (representing not less than 5 per cent of the judges, prosecutors and investigators) and representatives of the magistrates who are not members of sectoral organizations.