Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office Implements EC Recommendations

Domestic | February 13, 2012, Monday // 18:03|  views

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Galina Toneva has sided with the proposal for a two-chamber Supreme Judicial Council (VSS). Photo by BGNES

The prosecution has taken steps to amend the structure of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassation (VKP) to ensure compliance with recommendations of the European Commission, according to Deputy Chief Prosecutor Galina Toneva.

In a Monday interview for Darik Radio, she explained that the structural changes envisaging the establishment of new specialized units at VKP had been conclusively approved on Friday with an order signed by Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev.

The four new subdivisions had been set up to implement the recommendations listed in the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) Report of the European Commission from July 2011, Toneva stated.

She went on to specify that the fist specialized unit at VKP would tackle counteraction to corruption, police brutality, and all forms of grave corruption-related economic crimes.

"This is a key sphere where we need to achieve much more because it remains an an indisputable fact that we have the poorest record in fighting corruption", Toneva commented.

She further noted that the existing unit for combating EU funds fraud would be expanded to include crimes against the customs regime and the currency and tax system.

The existing unit for combating organized crime, which includes human trafficking, drug and arms trafficking, money laundering and organized crime rings, would be the third specialized unit, Toneva added.

The fourth unit would tackle crimes against the republic such as terrorism, extremism, election crimes and crimes against the constitutional rights of the citizens, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor said.

Commenting on the latest CVM report on Bulgaria, which recommends amendments to the principles of organization of Supreme Judicial Council (VSS), Toneva stressed that the current VSS was the first permanently acting body, while the VSS had previously included acting magistrates.

She drew attention to the importance of a transparent nomination procedure for the members of VSS.

The Deputy Chief Prosecutor backed the proposal for a two-chamber VSS which would make separate decisions concerning the appointment and promotion of judges and prosecutors and investigating magistrates.

Asked to comment on the matter, Judge Atanas Atanasov, a member of the Bulgarian Judges Association (BJA), said that a number of the measures proposed by the EC about the Supreme Judicial Council had been brought up by the BJA prior to the release of the interim progress report.

He cited BJA ideas such as setting up a two-chamber VSS, changing the statute of VSS from a permanently acting body into a body comprising acting magistrates, and appointing VSS members from the judicial quota by general assemblies of all judges, prosecutors and magistrates, respectively, rather than by delegate assemblies.

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Tags: Supreme Judicial Council, VSS, Galina Toneva, Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassation, European Commision, interim report, Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), judicial reform, magistrates, Bulgarian Judges Association, Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev

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