Sofia Regional Court Judges Protest at SJC's Personnel Selection Policy

Sofia, January 26 (BTA) - Sofia Regional Court judges Thursday protested in front of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) building for the second time in a month and a half. Their discontent was provoked by the SJC personnel selection policy.

The refusal of the SJC's judges college to appoint Albena Boteva acting head of Sofia Regional Court (SRC) triggered the protest. Boteva was nominated by the Court's General Assembly but was not supported by the SJC.

In December, several hundred judges of the SRC protested in front of the SJC headquarters, demanding the resignation of Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov.

The judges also complained about a check on the Regional Court and the opening of disciplinary proceedings against judge Miroslava Todorova. The alert against Todorova came from Tsatsarov and was occasioned by a delay in pronouncing on a prosecutor's request for lifting of banking secrecy. SRC President Metodi Lalov handed in his resignation as of February 1, 2017, but the SJC dismissed him in mid-December.

Regional judges are ready with two new nominations: Boteva and their colleague Boris Dinev. Next Tuesday it will become clear if the election will take place and if the SJC will react to the protest.

The protest was supported only by the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation, Lozan Panov. He said that every single critical voice comes in support of the reforms. He was also one of the few to comment on the European Commission's report which criticized the SJC. In his words, Brussels replaced its usual diplomatic tone with specific recommendations whose implementation will depend on the SJC alone.

Outgoing Justice Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva participated in the SJC meeting for the last time.

Zaharieva told the SJC that the EC report says the reforms were delayed in periods of political instability. She noted that the judicial map and e-voting are priorities. What matters most is to have continuity and avoid starting from scratch with every new justice minister, government or parliament, she added.