site.btaJudges Chamber Likely to Elect New Acting President of Supreme Administrative Court, Says Supreme Court of Cassation President

Galina Zaharova, President of the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC), Tuesday said there are grounds to believe that the Judges Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council will elect a new acting President of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC). She was talking before a meeting of the Judges Chamber at which the issue is expected to be discussed.

Regarding the Supreme Court of Cassation's refusal to reopen cases at the request of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, Zaharova said there is and should not be inter-institutional tension.

On October 2, the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) ruled that the six-month term during which Sarafov could serve as acting Prosecutor General had expired on July 21, 2025. Based on this, the judges refused to reopen criminal cases.

Zaharova emphasized that, in the administration of justice, the final decision lies with the court, which rules specifically on the matter brought before it. Zaharova said the Prosecutors Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council is competent to consider appointments and dismissals.

On October 4, Zaharova said that under the Constitution, the SCC is the highest judicial authority and is tasked with deciding specific categories of cases, including the reopening of criminal proceedings. She was commenting on a statement in which the prosecution service said the SCC was "pursuing a political agenda and was aggravating the existing instability in the judiciary".