site.btaSupreme Cassation Court President Warns of Dark Days of Repressions Looming in Bulgarian Judiciary

110 - POLITICS - SUPREME CASSATION COURT - PRESIDENT - CRITICISM

Supreme Cassation Court President
Warns of Dark Days of Repressions Looming in
Bulgarian Judiciary


Sofia, April 17 (BTA) - Supreme Cassation Court President Lozan Panov warned Wednesday of dark days of repressions looming in the judiciary in Bulgaria. Panov, who is known for his pro-reform stance and long-standing feud with the Establishment in the judicial system, told a forum on judicial reforms in Sofia Wednesday that Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov is eyeing the office of Chief Judicial Inspector which will make the Inspectorate what the prosecution has been for the past seven years: spoils of oligarchic circles.

Tsatsarov's seven-year term of office expires at the end of this year.

"The names of the enemies [of the Establishment] are plastered all over the newspapers and xenophobia has become an official policy," Panov said adding that noone can say when democracy in a country becomes empty packaging.

He said that principles which are the pillars of democracy, have been perverted; rule of law and the division of powers are severely compromised; and the state institutions have been subdued by private interests.

Panov also said that a fierce battle is underway for subduing the court as well and the process is nearly completed at the Supreme Judicial Council (which exercises administrative management of the judiciary).

The Supreme Cassation Court President said "it is time to stop stumbling on the same stone and stop waiting for others to do things for us and deserve our freedom instead".

Entitled "Independent Court - Free Country! For Law and Justice!", the forum where Panov was a keynote speaker was organized by the Justice For All Initiative and the Boets organization, both of which are known for their campaigns in support of judicial reforms and against high-level corruption. RY/LN/


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