BILI announced its position on the draft law for amendment and supplementation of the Judicial system act (JSA), which was approved by the Council of ministers and entered the National Assembly on 06.04.2012. The Statement was put to the attention of all members of the parliamentary Legal committee, the leaders of political formations and to Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva, Chair of the Parliament.
Although BILI indicated its principal support to the proposed amendments, it underlined the need for additional improvements in order to achieve the set of the proposal’s primary goals. The current legislative change is estimated as insufficient because of the fact that it introduces only new procedures for election of the Supreme judicial council (SJC) while it is also necessary to introduce changes at a structural level in its formation.
In its statement BILI strongly disapproves the proposed opportunity for career advancement of the SJC members after the end of their mandate which may become a way to circumvent the judicial competitions and appraisals.
BILI’s initial legislative proposal, supported by 11 non-governmental organisations also provided for direct election of the professional quota by the general assemblies of judges with an opportunity for electronic voting. For the parliamentary quota it envisaged guarantees for a sufficient period of investigation of the candidates’ professional qualities by the Legal committee.
To the full text of the Position Statement available in Bulgarian