site.btaPresident Refuses to Decree Appointment of New Chief of Supreme Administrative Court

Sofia, October 4 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has returned Georgi Cholakov's nomination for President of the Supreme Administrative Court to the newly elected Supreme Judicial Council for reconsideration. Radev said on Wednesday: "The new Supreme Judicial Council has new legitimacy. I expect its proposal in accordance with all legal procedures and the moral expectations of the public."

The head of state was speaking to journalists at Sofia Airport before leaving on an official visit to Poland.

Cholakov was elected President of the Supreme Administrative Court by the previous Supreme Judicial Council on September 11 by a large majority of 20 votes against only 5 votes in favour of his only opponent. He was the favourite of his predecessor Georgi Kolev and his election was largely expected - or even predetermined, according to some.

Subsequently, President Radev commented that the election ought to have been carried out by the next Supreme Judicial Council which would take office on October 3. Radev said on more than one occasion that if Cholakov's election is upheld by the new Supreme Judicial Council, he will have greater prestige in the eyes of the judiciary and the public.

Now it is up to the Supreme Judicial Council to decide whether the procedure for electing the Supreme Administrative Court President will be repeated from the beginning, with new nominations, or whether the nominations of Cholakov and his former opponent Sonya Yankoulova will simply be put to the vote again.

Members of the new Supreme Judicial Council have indicated that they disagree on the matter. The Council's new Representative Member, Boyan Magdalinchev, believes that a repeat vote on Cholakov and Yankoulova will be enough.