site.btaAtlantic Club Vice President Poptodorova, US Resident Legal Adviser Kim Discuss Rule of Law in Bulgaria

January 28 (BTA) - "Unlike the global COVID-19 pandemic, endemic corruption in Bulgaria cannot be cured with a single or a double dose of vaccine. This is a disease which requires long treatment, efforts and will," said Jessica Kim, US Department of Justice Resident Legal Adviser for Bulgaria and Romania, in an online conversation with Atlantic Club Vice President Elena Poptodorova on Thursday. Kim's obligation is to assist with building capacity in combating public corruption, money laundering and organized crime in Bulgaria and Romania.

The US justice official said that the EU law of rule report for 2020 set out a number of challenges which are not related solely to the lack of accountability of the Prosecutor General but to the lineup and functions of the Supreme Judicial Council, the lack of judicial independence, the low level of public trust in the anti-corruption institutions and the lack of independent media. Tackling only one challenge won't resolve all issues in connection with the rule of law. Kim said that in order for reforms to be effective they need to be far-reaching.

In order for Bulgaria to reach its full potential, Bulgarian leaders, regardless of their political affiliation, should themselves respect the rule of law, said Kim.

She also spoke of the lack of effective sentences against persons involved in corruption.

Since a robust rule of law is very important for the economic success and for attracting more foreign investments, the team of the resident legal adviser are concentrating on providing legal assistance in building capacity for combating corruption and organized crime through training of prosecutors, investigating magistrate and judges. In the past year over 20 training programmes have been implemented across Bulgaria. RI/PP

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