The New Supreme Judicial Council Took Office

The new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) took office on 3^rd of October. It will serve for a five-year term.

For the first time, the members of SJC were elected directly, based on "one magistrate-one vote" principle. The parliamentary quota was elected by a majority of two-thirds.

About half of the new SJC members are magistrates from courts in Sofia.

At the official ceremony in the Court of Justice, Minister of Justice Tsetska Tsacheva thanked the outgoing council for the work, but also criticized them that disputes, often involving personal attacks, left a "bitter taste of something immature". She called on the new members to restore the trust of the bulgarina citizens in justice.

Bulgaria’s President sent a letter of congratulations, wishing the new members to be active participants in upholding the independence of the judicial system.

Judge Boyan Magdalinchev was elected to represent the Supreme Judicial Council with the strong support of the Prosecutors' College. He received 13 votes, whilst the other nomination Tsvetinka Pashkunova received 9..