site.btaSupreme Judicial Council Supports Better Part of Updated Strategy for Justice System Reform

Supreme Judicial Council
Supports Better Part of Updated
Strategy for Justice System Reform


Sofia, December 8 (BTA) - The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC)
supports most of the measures provided in the updated strategy
for reform of the justice system, Yuliana Koleva of the SJC told
journalists Monday.

She explained that the Council supports the proposal to divide
its members into two colleges - one for judges and one for
prosecutors, adding that such recommendations have already been
made by international bodies. According to SJC's members,
however, this can not happen without constitutional changes.
According to Koleva, legal amendments alone regarding this
matter will result in many disputes, which in turn risks to
destabilize the system.

The SJC disagrees with proposals for turning the Council into a
body which works on a temporary basis. According to Koleva, this
is not a step forward in terms of the reform and will not have
a positive impact on SJC's efficiency. She recalled that the
Council's powers and work have been increased since 2007. The
Council has some objections against the proposals for forming
the competition commissions and appraisals. Koleva said that the
problems with these issues have been identified and the Council
is ready for debates.

Sonya Naydenova, Representative Member of SJC, refused to
comment Reformist Bloc Co-Chair Radan Kanev's earlier statement,
which called for the SJC to resign over alleged violations with
the random case assignment system. Naydenova said the SJC has
decided to conduct a check on the new software version and all
random case assignment modules. The check will be carried out by
the SJC's IT department. The Council will invite
representatives of the Supreme Court of Cassation, the
prosecuting magistracy, as well as external experts to
participate in the check, which should be over by December 17,
or January 5 if significant violations are found. PK/MY

/МЙ/