site.btaBulgarian Parliament Leader: There Has to Be Constitutional Changes

Bulgarian Parliament Leader: There Has to Be Constitutional  Changes

Sofia, July 6 (BTA) - A round table on the constitutional model
of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the proposed changes
in it, is held here Monday at the Lawyers' Union. In her opening
 remarks National Assembly Chair Tsetska Tsacheva said that
there has to be a change in the Constitution at any rate and the
 constitutional model of the SJC is only one of the things that
needs to change.

Tsacheva noted that the changes are being discussed at a time
when Bulgarian citizens have a feeling of injustice and the
institutions of the European Union are urging changes in the way
 the judiciary functions.

Tsacheva argued that it is important to hear the opinion of as
many experts as possible so that the debate in Parliament
concludes in a way that is satisfactory for the broadest
possible circle.

The roundtable heard the position of a number of experts on
whether the Constitution should be revised. Among the opponents
were former caretaker Prime Minister and law professor Georgi
Bliznashki. He took the chance to reiterate his position that
shortening the term of the SJC (to four from six years) and
introducing an open ballot voting system at the SJC instead of
the effective secret voting, will add up to parting with the
independence of the judiciary. 

The opposite opinion was held by former parliament deputy leader
 Ekaterina Mihaylova who argued that it is imperative to change
the structure of the judiciary. The SJC term must be cut short
and so must be the terms of the so called "Big Three" in the
judiciary: the prosecutor general and the presidents of the
Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Administrative Court.
 Mihaylova is also an advocate of the open voting system for the
 SJC.