Caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov stated that the judicial system should not remain under an acting Prosecutor General who, in his view, operates contrary to law and morality. Speaking on Monday, Yankulov commented that Sunday’s elections provided clear outcomes: the victory of Progressive Bulgaria and the significant setbacks for established political entities associated with the judiciary’s perceived corrupt status quo. For Yankulov, translating the public’s evident support for judicial reform into concrete political action is a critical issue for Bulgaria’s future.
He suggested that the poor electoral performance of parties invested in maintaining the status quo demonstrates that citizens view reform as an inevitability. Yankulov expressed hope that restoring legality within the prosecution service could constitute the initial step toward change. He argued that this reform should not be delayed pending the election of a new composition for the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
While the swift election of the SJC is important, Yankulov stressed that the process must be thorough, prioritizing guarantees that independent professionals, rather than party interests, are selected for the judiciary. The minister criticized the SJC and its Prosecutors’ College for failing to recognize the current situation, suggesting they were attempting to “preserve what cannot be preserved.” Yankulov warned that if they continue to fail to act with professional dignity, the new parliament might address the issue through ordinary legislative action early in its first session. The Ministry of Justice had previously published an analysis of the competency model for senior judicial administrators, including the Prosecutor General and heads of supreme courts.
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