site.btaProsecutor General Tsatsarov: "Constitution Must Be Amended Parallel to Revisions of Procedural Laws"
NW 13:56:31 17-04-2015
SN1356NW.111
111 HOME AFFAIRS - JUDICIAL REFORM - COMMENTS
Prosecutor General Tsatsarov:
"Constitution Must Be Amended Parallel
to Revisions of Procedural Laws"
Veliko Turnovo, North Central Bulgaria, April 17 (BTA) - "The
amendments to the Constitution must go hand in hand with
revisions of the procedural laws," Bulgaria's Prosecutor General
Sotir Tsatsarov told journalists here on Friday. "The change
cannot happen without changing the fundamental rules for the
work of judges and prosecutors."
Tsatsarov noted that part of the amendments to the Constitution
may be adopted by an ordinary National Assembly, and these cases
have been specified by the Constitutional Court. "An amendment
that can only be passed by a Grand National Assembly but is
passed by an ordinary National Assembly would be blocked by the
Constitutional Court," he explained.
In his opinion, the Prosecutor General should be subject to
control first by the Supreme Judicial Council and then by
Parliament. Tsatsarov said he opposes the direct election of
prosecutors because it is unclear who could finance such an
election campaign.
For his part, Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) President Lozan
Panov told journalists in Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria) that
he does not think that an in-depth reform of the judicial system
is possible without amending the Constitution. "This must be
done very carefully, so as not to affect the independence of the
judiciary," he argued.
Panov stressed that it is important that the judicial reform
should be quick, but it is more important that it should be
in-depth.
The SCC President hopes that the legislature will rally behind
the idea of an open ballot rather than a secret ballot at the
Supreme Judicial Council. "I believe it is quite normal for the
Council to have a new image, including a new complement," he
commented.
"The quality of justice depends, among other things, on the
training of judges. Our legal education is detached from
practice, there are many higher educational establishments and
the level of training they provide varies widely. This, too,
impacts the quality of the workforce that joins the judicial
system," Panov noted.
On Thursday the Government unveiled plans to propose
constitutional amendments in connection with the judicial
reform, according to which the Supreme Judicial Council will be
divided into a chamber of prosecutors and investigating
magistrates and a chamber of judges, will serve a shorter term
of office, and will adopt decisions by an open ballot. Prime
Minister Boyko Borisov said that a requirement for the
Prosecutor General to report back on his performance to
Parliament once a year is also considered as part of the reform.
Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov said that the solutions sought
do not exceed the powers of an ordinary National Assembly. LI/LG
/СН/
SN1356NW.111
111 HOME AFFAIRS - JUDICIAL REFORM - COMMENTS
Prosecutor General Tsatsarov:
"Constitution Must Be Amended Parallel
to Revisions of Procedural Laws"
Veliko Turnovo, North Central Bulgaria, April 17 (BTA) - "The
amendments to the Constitution must go hand in hand with
revisions of the procedural laws," Bulgaria's Prosecutor General
Sotir Tsatsarov told journalists here on Friday. "The change
cannot happen without changing the fundamental rules for the
work of judges and prosecutors."
Tsatsarov noted that part of the amendments to the Constitution
may be adopted by an ordinary National Assembly, and these cases
have been specified by the Constitutional Court. "An amendment
that can only be passed by a Grand National Assembly but is
passed by an ordinary National Assembly would be blocked by the
Constitutional Court," he explained.
In his opinion, the Prosecutor General should be subject to
control first by the Supreme Judicial Council and then by
Parliament. Tsatsarov said he opposes the direct election of
prosecutors because it is unclear who could finance such an
election campaign.
For his part, Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) President Lozan
Panov told journalists in Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria) that
he does not think that an in-depth reform of the judicial system
is possible without amending the Constitution. "This must be
done very carefully, so as not to affect the independence of the
judiciary," he argued.
Panov stressed that it is important that the judicial reform
should be quick, but it is more important that it should be
in-depth.
The SCC President hopes that the legislature will rally behind
the idea of an open ballot rather than a secret ballot at the
Supreme Judicial Council. "I believe it is quite normal for the
Council to have a new image, including a new complement," he
commented.
"The quality of justice depends, among other things, on the
training of judges. Our legal education is detached from
practice, there are many higher educational establishments and
the level of training they provide varies widely. This, too,
impacts the quality of the workforce that joins the judicial
system," Panov noted.
On Thursday the Government unveiled plans to propose
constitutional amendments in connection with the judicial
reform, according to which the Supreme Judicial Council will be
divided into a chamber of prosecutors and investigating
magistrates and a chamber of judges, will serve a shorter term
of office, and will adopt decisions by an open ballot. Prime
Minister Boyko Borisov said that a requirement for the
Prosecutor General to report back on his performance to
Parliament once a year is also considered as part of the reform.
Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov said that the solutions sought
do not exceed the powers of an ordinary National Assembly. LI/LG
/СН/
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