Caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov stated that the judicial system should not remain under the leadership of an acting Prosecutor General who, in his view, acts contrary to law and morality. Speaking on Monday, Yankulov commented that the recent elections have established a clear victor, Progressive Bulgaria, and identified significant losers among established political entities within the judiciary. According to Yankulov, a critical issue for Bulgaria’s future is converting the public’s evident support for judicial reform into tangible political action.
He suggested that the poor performance of parties that actively resisted judicial change indicates that citizens view reform as an inevitability. Yankulov stated, “I would like to believe that restoring legality in the running of the prosecution service will be the first small step of change.”
He argued that this initial step should not await the election of a new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) composition. While the SJC election is important, Yankulov emphasized that its proper execution is paramount, cautioning against prioritizing speed over due process.
He stressed the need to guarantee that independent professionals, rather than politically aligned individuals, are selected to maintain a judiciary focused on the public interest. Yankulov expressed disappointment with the SJC and its Prosecutors’ College, suggesting they failed to recognize the current situation and “did not take the opportunity to leave the situation with some professional dignity.” He warned that if they fail to correct their course, the new parliament might address the issue through standard legislative means early in its session. These statements were made in the context of the Ministry of Justice’s recent publication of a working analysis concerning competency models for senior judicial administrators.
Topics: #yankulov #justice #minister
This seems like a major power struggle within the justice sector that demands clarification.