In December, the constitutional changes were adopted in a better version than they were introduced. This is what the resigned Minister of Justice Atanas Slavov commented to bTV, quoted by BTA.
He added that the results related to judicial reform are in several directions. First of all, Ivan Geshev was released from the Supreme Judicial Council. I had the opportunity to preside over this long meeting over two days. This did not end the reform, it had a chance to start, commented Slavov. According to him, the other big step that was the glue of the majority was the constitutional reform. Slavov pointed out that the team of the Ministry of Justice has also prepared a new law on the judiciary, but, in his words, the political time has not arrived for it to be introduced and adopted in this National Assembly.
According to the official minister, the changes in the Constitution related to the powers of President Rumen Radev should have happened.
He also commented on the reason for reaching elections. At the moment when the anti-corruption law was ready and we were really ready not just to put the law on the judiciary on the table, but to proceed to its voting, the handbrake was pulled, said Slavov. According to him, the early elections were reached because of the reluctance to continue with the election of members of the anti-corruption commission, the Supreme Judicial Council and the Supreme Prosecutor's Council.
Slavov also commented on the nomination of Maria Pavlova for acting Minister of Justice in Dimitar Glavchev's project cabinet. “I do not expect the acting minister to deal with the revision of the drafted Judiciary Law, because it was presented to an extremely broad working group and was presented for public discussion. "I don't expect him to introduce bills that are part of a political program," Slavov said.
In his words, the next caretaker minister should continue the normal functioning of the institution and have continuity at the administrative level.
About the arrest of the director of the “Customs” Petya Bankova Slavov commented that the plot "is very reminiscent of other similar ones from a year or two ago" and gave as an example the case surrounding the company "Nexo". This scandal, produced by the prosecutor's office, was just pre-election. As a result of which "Nexo" is suing Bulgaria for 3 billion dollars, added the resigned minister.
The Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs himself said that his resignation was submitted under pressure. The very thesis that a key official in the Ministry of Internal Affairs is allowed to exert pressure should be investigated. The prime minister will file a report with the prosecutor's office specifically to check who exerted pressure and to have an adequate investigation, Slavov explained on the occasion of the resignation of the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Zhivko Kotsev last week and her subsequent withdrawal.