Lawyers from all over the country protested against the procedure for electing a new chief prosecutor and the nomination of the only candidate, Borislav Sarafov, reported BNT.
They also requested a new procedure for the head of the Supreme Administrative Court. In the opposite position are the investigators, who claim that the procedure for the selection of Sarafov is legal, and every organization from the legal circles has the right to express an opinion.
On the day of the European lawyer from the Court House in Sofia, lawyers reminded that the SJC has an expired mandate and appealed to Borislav Sarafov himself to resign.
"Compromised confidence in the body, even if the procedure is formally legitimate, cannot lead to a choice that inspires confidence in the entire society. The Acting Attorney General is on a temporary basis, which allows him to occupy this position, so our call is that this time be shortened. Our appeal is also to the General Assembly of Judges to re-elect their representatives, so that we can have a new Supreme Judicial Council as quickly as possible, which will be able to conduct a truly lawful procedure," said Stefan Marchev, chairman of the Sofia Bar Association.
The Plovdiv Bar Association, which first objected to Sarafov's nomination, pointed out that the election had been announced.
"We know what Tsatsarov and Geshev were doing as chief prosecutors. Now we are being offered the same person to start a new beginning in the prosecutor's office," said Adv. Ivan Demerdzhiev, former interior minister.
"We want democratic, constitutionally compliant procedures that leave society with the feeling of justice, not the lack of it," said Adv. Marta Bozhikova.
"The candidate for chief prosecutor himself, who a few months ago said that he would not be one and would not run for office, if he has enough morals, he should withdraw his nomination and candidacy himself," said Adv. Plamen Bonev.
"Sarafov is an investigator, and the election of the chief prosecutor is pending. Not to a lead investigator. "Mixing the functions of investigators and prosecutors is inadmissible," noted Adv. Mincho Spasov from the Bar Association - Yambol.
The Chamber of Investigators supported Sarafov's candidacy in a statement a few days ago.
"There is no way for me to give a prescription for what the Supreme Judicial Council should do, which is the body that has been asked to suspend the exercise of its constitutional powers. But it is obvious that there is public pressure for him to make such a decision. The motives - we can only guess," said Marian Marinov, investigator and acting spokesperson of NSlS.
"If the Attorney General, and not only him, and the chairman of the Supreme Court and the other big ones, if he was elected by accumulating likes on the Internet or on Facebook, his profile would be much different than the one that is clearly not comfortable as to some people, as well as to the clients of the prosecutor's office," he added.
The next Prosecutor General should be elected on January 16, and the President of the Supreme Court - on March 20.