Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor, Deputy to Present Judicial Reform Plans in Brussels

Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov and his deputy Penka Bogdanova will arrive in Brussels Thursday on a one-day official visit to meet with the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality V?ra Jourov?.

During Thursday’s meeting, the Bulgarian delegation will present the proposals of Bulgaria’s prosecuting authority for an update of the judicial reform strategy and the ensuing amendments to the Judiciary Act.

The proposals envisage a separation of Bulgaria’s Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) into two units, including one of judges and one of prosecutors, enhancing the capacity of the specialized prosecutor’s offices, introducing direct election of magistrates, and ensuring interaction with professional organizations.

Non-interference into the inner convictions of prosecutors and a possibility for the supervising prosecutor to revoke instructions of a prosecuting authority of higher rank are also among the proposals.

The set of proposed changes to the Judiciary Act also envisage making the Chief Prosecutor accountable to the Supreme Judicial Council and the Parliament, as well as an option for holding biannual hearings of the Chief Prosecutor on activities of the prosecuting authority on cases involving corruption and organized crime and magistrates and public office holders of high rank.