site.btaProtesters Call against Election Processes for Prosecutor General, Supreme Court President

For the fourth consecutive week, citizens protested in front of the Courthouse in Sofia against the election of new prosecutor general and president of the Supreme Administrative Court.

Citizens gathered in front of the Courthouse in Sofia on Wednesday evening in a protest demanding that the procedures for the election of a new prosecutor general and president of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) be terminated. The event was organized by the Justice for All Initiative. There was a heavy police presence in the area.

This is the fourth such event. Organizers said that protests will take place every Wednesday until December 18. They also called on attendees to bring lamps, lanterns or candles to "illuminate the dark corridors and windows of the parallel government". Protesters said that the procedures for the election of the prosecutor general and president of the SAC are illegitimate because they are carried out by a body whose mandate has expired.

"Our cause is for justice in court buildings", said lawyer Petromir Kanchev from the Justice for All  Initiative. He added that it is necessary to have a parliament which can adopt amendments to the Judiciary Act.

On October 10 this year, at the last meeting of the Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), at which a nomination for a new prosecutor general could be made, only Borislav Sarafov was nominated. He is currently the Acting Prosecutor General, after the mandate of his predecessor Ivan Geshev was terminated early. According to the schedule, the vote for a new prosecutor general will be held on January 16.

On Tuesday, the Judicial Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council voted seven to three to propose to the SJC Plenum to open a new procedure for the election of the president of the Supreme Administrative Court. The Chamber proposed that the new procedure begin on November 21, and that the submission of proposals for candidates can be made in the next four sessions of the SJC Plenum. The election of the president is scheduled to take place on March 20. The first announced procedure failed due to a lack of candidates.