site.btaPresident Says He Might Wait for Next SJC to Reconfirm Election of New Supreme Administrative Court President

Sofia, September 16 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev said Saturday he might wait for the new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to re-confirm the election of a new President of the Supreme Administrative Court before he decrees his appointment. This triggered an immediate reaction from the ruling GERB whose deputy leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov said such remarks cause a rift between the Presidency and the judiciary.

On September 11 Georgi Cholakov was elected by the outgoing SJC as the new President of the Supreme Administrative Court and this election is pending a presidential decree to become effective. Radev has not said categorically whether or not he will decree the appointment adding fuel to rumours that the decree is a bargaining chip for the Socialists' demand to have the four SJC members nominated by their group in Parliament, which is as many as the members of the new SJC nominated by the ruling GERB on the Parliament's quota. GERB are said to be strongly opposed.

The term of the present SJC expires on October 3.

"If we give the new SJC a chance to reconfirm the choice of the old SJC, it will enhance the integrity of the elected candidate," said the President.

GERB deputy leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov commented in the northeastern town of Shoumen that if the President had a vision or a proposal, he should have shared them before the election of the Supreme Administrative Court President. "Such remarks by the President cause antagonism between the representatives of the judiciary and the Presidency," said he adding that solely the SJC is competent to elect a President of the Supreme Administrative Court.

He further commented that antagonism between state institutions does not help the progress of the judicial reform.

Georgi Cholakov was elected to the presidency of the Supreme Administrative Court by a majority of 20 votes in the 25-member SJC, leaving only five votes for the pro-reform Sonya Yankoulova. He was the favourite of his predecessor Georgi Kolev and his election was largely expected.

The Justice for All organization and five parties which are not represented in this Parliament wrote to the President urging him not to issue a decree for Cholakov's appointment arguing that his election had been pre-determined and that the outgoing SJC had been discredited.