Bulgaria started on the path of reforms, but it came full circle and found itself at the initial point, facing elections, about which the EC expressed concern. Businesses and investors are repelled by such events in the judicial system, as it creates uncertainty and a lack of predictability in the fact that the institutions would do their job to protect them if needed, commented Bilyana Gjaurova-Wegertseder, director of the Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives before Bloomberg Bulgaria.
What is happening in the judiciary does not look like an attempt to fight corruption at the highest levels, but rather another scandal, said Gjaurova-Wegerseder. She added that what was built for the Euro-Atlantic future for Bulgaria collapsed. Bulgaria has claims to be a legal state and one in which the principles of good governance apply, but if the country met these claims, we would not have witnessed what is happening or it would have happened earlier and in a different way.
Currently, there is a reluctance to complete the judicial reforms and trigger early elections. Our country started on the path of reforms, but it came full circle and found itself at the starting point, facing elections, about which the EC expressed concern.
The judicial system is at the center of events, which negatively affects ordinary judges and prosecutors. She said that we have seen an attempt at improvement, but now there is uncertainty about the Judiciary Act and the remaining necessary steps. The Judiciary Act is the most important indicator because it is the extended continuation of the changes outlined in the Constitution. What is happening in the state costs citizens' faith in institutions.
„Each of us should care, because the judiciary is at the entrance and exit of many things that happen in our daily life, whether we are talking about personal-private relations or relations between institutions. We should care, since both the court and the prosecutor's office are the only institutions that, if we, as ordinary citizens, fall under their blows, have state repression at their disposal – they can cause us pain and take away our rights.“
Businesses and investors are put off by such events as it creates uncertainty and a lack of predictability that institutions would do their job to protect the company if needed. Bulgaria's partners often urge the country to work for the rule of law.
„The literal translation of the calls for work on the rule of law is – “You are not doing enough in terms of ensuring the independence of the court and the accountability of the prosecution” which, in turn, must protect the rights and interests of citizens and businesses.“
Biljana Gyaurova-Wegertseder believes that our EU partners give us a vote of confidence, which Bulgaria often does not justify. She added that due to the lack of a regular cabinet and the political uncertainty in our country, the admission of Bulgaria to the Eurozone becomes impossible at the beginning of 2025. There is also the question of whether a regular government will be formed after the elections, and the country could fall back into a vicious circle of caretaker governments and elections.
To see the applicability and effect of the complex constitutional reforms, time must pass, but less than half a year after their adoption they had to be implemented. The guest explained that the restriction of the circle of persons from whom the president can choose as acting prime minister is also practiced in other countries, but she believes that the people who took the post of acting prime minister should not be able to immediately return to the previous one you post.