Prosecutor General, European Commissioner for Justice Discuss Prosecuting Magistracy's Actions in Response to EC's Recommendations 

Brussels, May 5 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) -
Bulgaria's Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov Tuesday told
journalists his meeting with Vera Jourova, the European
Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, had
been "quite fruitful". The two discussed the prosecuting
magistracy's actions in implementation of the recommendations of
 the European Commission's latest report, as well as the
prosecutors' professional position on the establishment and
functioning of a European Public Prosecutor's Office.

Tsatsarov said: "We were given quite high marks for what we have
 done so far."

Vera Jourova was especially interested in amendments to the
Criminal Procedure Code prompted by the pressing problem of
escape from justice, including immediately before a conviction
becomes enforceable. The revisions empower the court to impose a
 severer precautionary measure when passing a sentence of
deprivation of liberty after weighing the risk of the defendant
absconding. "We received very strong support in this respect,"
said Tsatsarov.

Jourova asked what political arguments could be set forth
against the bill of amendments. "It is not up to me to comment.
It would be hard to find political arguments against the bill,
though, because it is intended to do good. No one in the
prosecuting magistracy claims credit for it," said Tsatsarov.

Under the amendments which passed on first reading in March, the
 court will be competent to fix an address at which a person
will be placed under house arrest. This  will be controlled by
means of an electronic ankle monitor; persons under
non-custodial precautionary measures will be ordered to
surrender their identity documents and will be issued substitute
 documents. The bill gave a new definition of the precautionary
measure of "release on one's own recognizance" as consisting in
a prohibition to leave the settlement of residence without
permission of the competent authority. Compliance with the
prohibition will be controlled through periodic registration at
the Interior Ministry, and the competent prosecutor will be
notified of any violations.

The Prosecutor General dismissed as "unfounded" allegations that
 the changes violate human rights. "Those who claim the
opposite, either look from the point of view of the offender or
rush to criticize just because they are tabled by the
prosecution service." Tsatsarov said that the most important
point of view was that of the victim. According to him, the
prosecution service is perceived as unable to come up with
something good and is faced with consistent opposition.

The Prosecutor General said he was optimistic that the
amendments will be voted through conclusively by the
legislature. He said that cases of escaping justice in Bulgaria
are not isolated and that currently some 1,700 convicted
offenders are wanted. Tsatsarov said that the problem was
systemic and that flaws had to be addressed.