Caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov stated that the judicial system should not remain under the leadership of an acting Prosecutor General whose tenure he deemed contrary to law and morality. Speaking on Monday, Yankulov commented that the recent elections clearly identified a winner in Progressive Bulgaria and significant losers among established political entities responsible for maintaining the judiciary’s current status quo. Yankulov emphasized that translating the public’s evident support for judicial reform into tangible political action is a critical challenge for Bulgaria’s future.
He noted that the poor showing for parties that actively resisted judicial change indicates that citizens view reform as an unavoidable necessity. “I would like to believe that restoring legality in the running of the prosecution service will be the first small step of change,” the minister stated. According to Yankulov, this initial step should not be delayed pending the election of a new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) composition.
While a swift SJC election is important, he stressed that procedural correctness must take precedence over speed. This is necessary to ensure that honest professionals are selected who will serve the public interest for an independent, rather than party-controlled, justice system. He criticized the SJC and its Prosecutors’ College for failing to adapt over the past two months, suggesting they were “trying to preserve what cannot be preserved.” Yankulov warned that if they continue in this manner, the new parliament might address the issue through ordinary legislation early in its first session.
The Ministry of Justice had previously published an analysis of competency models for senior judicial administrators, including the Prosecutor General and heads of supreme courts.
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