11 NGOs strongly urge legislators not to adopt the amendments in the Judiciary System Act in an open letter sent to the deputies in the National Assembly and the media. The amendments are about to be voted on second reading this Thursday in the National Assembly. The letter is supported by 11 NGOs in Bulgaia, including the largest judicial organization Bulgarian Judges Association and the Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives.
This is not the first letter sent by the NGOs in a relation with the forthcoming changes in the Judiciary System Act. Several times before on various occasions, the NGOs called for change of the election procedures for the Supreme Judicial Council, as well as more transparency and accountability in the process. As it was stated in the February Interim Report of the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council a reform of the election process of the Supreme Judicial Council is needed to enhance the Council's transparency and integrity and as an important step towards a fundamental reform of the judicial system.
The letter also states that the surprising proposal the new Chief Prosecutor to be elected by the current Supreme Judicial Council creates a sense that the current Council with proven subordination obviously has to play a role in the election of the new Chief Prosecutor.