site.btaPresident Radev Decrees Appointment of New President of Supreme Administrative Court

Sofia, October 23 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev Monday decreed the appointment of Georgi Cholakov as President of the Supreme Administrative Court, said the President's Press Secretariat.

Cholakov was elected by the previous lineup of the Supreme Judicial Council in September amid a controversy on whether or not it was a pre-determined choice. The President dragged his feet about issuing a decree to allow Cholakov to take office, then said it might be a good idea to allow the new Supreme Judicial Council to re-confirm the election as it would give it more legitimacy - and finally returned the election for reconsideration. The new Supreme Judicial Council went a step back in the procedure and held on October 19 a new vote on two shortlisted candidates for the office, Cholakov being one of them, and he won that vote, too.

By the Constitution of Bulgaria, the presidents of the Supreme Court of Cassation, the Supreme Administrative Court and the Prosecutor General are appointed and relieved of office by a presidential decree on a proposal from the plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council. They serve a single term of seven years and may not be reelected.

The President may only refuse once to decree the proposed appointment or discharge of any of the three, and has to issue the decree if the Supreme Judicial Council upholds its proposal, says the Presidential Press Secretariat.