Future Bulgaria Magistrates to be Inspected by Security Agency

Head of Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court (VAS), Kosntantin Penchev, has proposed that a Judicial State Security Agency be set up to probe into the morale of future magistrates. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's judicial staff must be carefully investigated before appointed to office, said the head of the Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court, Konstantin Penchev.

“I'm not suggesting that future magistrates be inspected by the State National Security Agency, God forbid, but they can be examined by a Judicial Security Agency or a special Inspectorate,” said Penchev during Monday's parliamentary discussions on Bulgaria's future judicial reform that was laid out by the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice.

Penchev's statement was triggered by the Ministry's plans to set up new criteria for the selection of judicial staff.

The head of the Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) stated Monday that the reform planned is “a good one” but will be enforced no earlier than 2015 when the mandate of the newly appointed Supreme Court judges and persecutors will end.

“We have to bring back the good name of the Bulgarian judicial system, but it'll be too late if we start doing it in 5 years. The judicial system is like the bank system, once people lose their trust in bank institutions even the best banks will go bankrupt. And if the public loses trust in the judicial system, the state will go bankrupt,” added Penchev.

The head of the Supreme Administrative Court noted that he is aware his idea of a Judicial State Security agency that will probe into the past and morale of future magistrates before deciding on their appointment, may be seen as a witch hunt. “However, urgent measures must be taken as the present situation will lead to a state collapse,” said Penchev.

“At present we demand only that future magistrates have a clean criminal record and the required professional skills,” explained Penchev, adding that “Judges are not just experts, they represent national justice just like preachers are God's representatives on Earth.”

Penchev is convinced that the morale of the magistrates is not a given and should not be taken for granted and that many scandals can be avoided if the moral values of magistrates are carefully examined before their appointment to office.

“The case with Krasio the Black was but a spark that lit a fire in Bulgaria's judicial system and I can assure you that many more such cases will be unveiled,” concluded the head of VAS.

Last Thursday Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) brought to conclusion both scandals that have been the judicial system since the summer of 2009.

On Thursday, VSS, in what they say is the final move regarding the “Krasio the Black” case, fired Yordan Ivanov from the Appellate Prosecutor's Office in the Black Sea city of Burgas over having contacts with Georgiev. Ivanov had been for years the Head of the Burgas Appellate Prosecutor's Office and a candidate to become Bulgaria's Deputy Chief Prosecutor, along with former Sofia Appellate Prosecutor, Ivan Petrov, who was also fired for exchanging phone calls with Krasio.

In the other case, codenamed “Octopus,” VSS had decided there isn't any evidence, the Head of the Appellate Court, Veselin Pengezov, has any ties with the crime group with the same name or of him trying to pressure the magistrates in the case.