Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council discusses the proposal of caretaker Justice Minister for early removal of Chief Prosecutor from the post.

plenum supreme judicial council discusses proposal caretaker justice minister early removal chief prosecutor post

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17:32, 22.07.2021

The Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on July 22 discusses the proposal of the caretaker Minister of Justice Prof. Yanaki Stoilov for early release of Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev from the post.

The proposal follows a report by Minister of Interior, Boyko Rashkov, of July 14th.

The agenda was adopted unanimously by 21 votes. At the beginning, Chief Prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, demanded that the discussion be public, not closed, despite the law's requirement for the discussion be in closed sitting. He was supported in this request by Prof. Stoilov and the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Cassation Lozan Panov.

The Minister of Justice presented the reasons in a summary.

"The signal of the Minister of Interior is legally untenable. The report of the caretaker Minister of Interior pursues an illegitimate political goal of seizing the judiciary," Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev said at the hearing.

He stressed that thanks to the good work of the Prosecutor's office and the Ministry of Interior, there are no more mass telephone scams.

"The Minister of Justice must point out exactly which of my actions have damaged the prestige of the judiciary. Mr. Rashkov's statement is a legal nothingness. It contains press releases from the Prosecutor's office and media publications," Ivan Geshev added.

The evidence gathered with the special intelligence-gathering devices has been announced in accordance with the law, and apparently someone is worried about people hearing which politicians and journalists Vasil Bozhkov is talking to and how he will change the Constitution? "Geshev added.

He described the “intrusion” in the Presidency as media interpretation.

"There was a court order. The same was done in the investigation and detention of an incumbent minister and his deputy. No one says it was an intrusion. Colleagues were issued passes and then entered," the Chief Prosecutor said.

The proposal for the early release of the Prosecutor General from the post states that in his capacity as Prosecutor General Geshev has committed violations that damage the prestige of the judiciary.

The Prosecutor’s office described the proposal for resignation as a political act. According to Prosecutor General's spokesperson Siika Mileva, this is a political act aimed at extracting political dividends and PR.

A majority of at least 17 votes among senior magistrates is required to initiate proceedings to remove the Chief Prosecutor from the post.