site.btaParliament Adopts Amendments to Criminal Procedure Code at Second Reading

Parliament adopted at second reading amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) here on Friday. The amendments were voted for the second time, after President Rumen Radev vetoed them on February 12, and Parliament upheld the veto.

According to the adopted amendments, the Judges' Chamber and the Prosecutors Chamber of the existing Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) are legal entities when performing the functions of the SJC and the Supreme Prosecutorial Council. They will be represented by one of their elected members selected by the respective council. The Judges' Chamber and the Prosecutors Chamber of the existing SJC shall replace the Plenum of the existing SJC in all rights and obligations.

The deputies voted unanimously by 201 votes in favour of an amendment to the CPC, whereby the court should give the defendant and their counsel the opportunity to examine all evidence gathered throughout the duration of the case.

The President's reasoning for his veto on February 12 was: "The widely proclaimed justice reform via the recent amendments to the Constitution was practically cancelled for an indefinite period of time with the transitional and final provisions of the amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure adopted on February 1."