site.btaDiplomats, Politicians, Magistrates Rally Behind Future Changes to Constitution

Diplomats, Politicians, Magistrates Rally Behind Future Changes to Constitution

Sofia, May 14 (BTA) - Diplomats, politicians and magistrates
rallied behind the anticipated amendments to the Constitution in
relation to the judiciary at an AmCham forum at the Sofia
University on Thursday. Attending the forum were Deputy Prime
Minister Meglena Kuneva, Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov, US
Ambassador Marcie Ries, French Ambassador Xavier Lapeyre de
Cabanes and magistrates.

Ambassador De Cabanes supported the idea for the judiciary to
select its representatives to the Supreme Judicial Council in
direct elections. The diplomat called for an end to the
temporary reassignments of judges as they are used as a tool to
exert pressure. The Ambassador specified that these were his
personal views and added that the judicial reform should be
gradual but far-reaching as this was the only way that could
lead to lifting the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for
Bulgaria.

US Ambassador Marcie Ries noted the failure of the Supreme
Judicial Council on April 30 to elect a president of the Sofia
Appellate Court. She said that the Bulgarian public expected a
fundamental and urgent change in line with the deep seated
problems.

Ries recalled a survey which suggests that 45 per cent of
respondents believe that corruption is the main obstacle to
attempts at redressing the status quo. She called for genuine
independence from political influence of the future
anti-corruption unit.

The business needs transparency and fairness in resolving
commercial disputes, said the American diplomat, citing figures
that recently FDI in Bulgaria have dropped from 9 billion euro
to 1.3 billion euro.

Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov said that changes to the
administration of the judicial system are one of the priorities.
Ivanov expected larger participation on the part of the
magistrates in administrative decisions, citing judges from the
Sofia City Court.

Supreme Court of Cassation President Lozan Panov underscored
legal education as one of the key steps of the judicial reform,
floating the idea for a general bar examination.

***

Speaking to journalists, Dimiter Delchev MP of the Reformist
Bloc outlined the constitutional changes that will be tabled by
the Reformist Bloc. These include enabling citizens to petition
the Constitutional Court and a possibility to impeach the
Prosecutor General in cases of consistent violations of the
Constitution, the law and discrediting the judiciary. He said
that the parliamentary groups have already received a blueprint
of proposals from the Justice Ministry and GERB MPs for the
future debates. Delchev specified that the highlights include
division of the Supreme Judicial Council into two colleges and
more powers for its inspectorate. This is in line with
recommendations by the European Commission and observations that
the Council's current lineup is not working well. Delchev said
there are several ideas about the impeachment of the Prosecutor
General. Under one, a two-thirds parliamentary majority may
petition the President,
but the Constitutional Court said such a provision should be
voted by a Grand National Assembly. Instead, the Reformist Bloc
has proposed that the National Assembly petitions the President
through the Supreme Judicial Council. This possibility will
enter into force with the next term of the Prosecutor General.