Bulgaria's Judiciary Seeks Budget Hike, Higher Court Fees

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) has said it will seek an increase of over BGN 60 M in the judiciary's budget for 2012.

Despite the demand for a budget hike, magistrates' wages, which remain frozen for a second year in a row, will not go up.

The 2011 budget of the judiciary amounts to BGN 387 M, or BGN 100 M less than originally demanded.

VSS has requested a BGN 450 M budget for 2012, according to a statement of its press office cited by Mediapool.

Ivan Kolev, Chair of the VSS Budget Committee, has explained the budget hike with the increased social insurance contributions and the urgent need to replace computers and carry out repairs in judiciary buildings.

Court fees, which account for around 1/3 of the system's budget, are not likely to go up in the near future.

The upward revision of tariff rates was proposed by Ivan Kolev in the beginning of 2011 and met with wide support from courts all over the country.

In September 2011, Lazar Gruev, Chair of the Supreme Court of Cassation (VKS) echoed the call for the introduction of higher court fees.

Kolev has said that the issue may be tabled before VSS by end-2011, at the same time admitting that he expects no quick fix.

The new tariff rates are to be submitted by the Ministry of Justice with the Council of Ministers for approval.

The Ministry of Finance, which is to set the new rates, has been delaying the project for months.

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