The team associated with the caretaker Justice Minister, Andrey Yankulov, has presented revisions to the Judicial System Act aimed at enhancing the procedures governing the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the SJC Inspectorate. According to a statement from the ministry, this draft legislation is slated for consideration by the next government to be elected by Parliament. The proposed reforms introduce several safeguards for the upcoming judicial election processes.
One key revision mandates the formation of a specialized commission composed of professionals independent of political forces. This body would conduct a professional assessment of candidates, providing objective evaluations of their integrity, strengths, and weaknesses. This commission would draw its members from institutions outside direct parliamentary control, including the general assemblies of the Supreme Courts, the President, the National Ombudsman, and the Supreme Bar Council.
The resulting candidate profiles would be submitted to the parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee and made public. Furthermore, the bill proposes a second provisional commission tasked with verifying the asset declarations of all candidates. This commission would involve financial experts from bodies such as the Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Chamber of Independent Appraisers of Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian National Bank.
The verification process would confirm the veracity of declarations and investigate any transactions conducted at suspiciously low prices or with unclear funding sources. The revisions also strengthen the judicial oversight mechanisms. The Justice Minister would be granted the authority to contest any decisions made by the SJC in court, addressing a current legal gap that limits the right of appeal to only directly affected individuals.
These changes are designed to ensure robust accountability throughout the judicial system.
Topics: #ministry #judicial #election
