Initiative ‘Justice for Everyone’ Pushes for Constitutional Reform of Bulgaria’s Judiciary

The formation of a government has saved the parliamentary republic from collapse, after ten months of power by a self-forgetting president, says the position of the initiative “Justice for everyone” sent to the media. The organization states that the most important tasks before the deputies are the adoption of a regular budget for 2023 and the constitutional reform of the judiciary.

However, “Justice for Everyone” notes that they do not accept “a mentorship, leadership or supervisory role for Delyan Peevski in the writing, submission or adoption process of a constitutional project for amendments to the chapter “Judicial Power” of the Constitution. It is also stated that it is inadmissible for him to enter into its leadership.

From “Justice for Everyone” they want a meeting with the leaders of the coalition and the parliamentary group of “We continue the change – “Democratic Bulgaria” at the beginning of next week at the latest, to discuss changes in the Constitution.

See the full text of the position here:

Yesterday, with huge compromises and painful negotiations, the first regular government of the Republic of Bulgaria was elected after a ten-month administration of caretaker governments by a self-forgetful president who left the National Assembly building demonstratively, without respecting the oath of the new ministers.

We congratulate Academician Nikolay Denkov, elected Prime Minister, as well as his deputy and Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel for the patience and reason with which they approached this unprecedented way of forming a cabinet. Thus, in practice, they saved the parliamentary republic from defeat in favor of the sole presidential power! We also congratulate the new ministers, who will have very difficult tasks to solve in the coming months to restore confidence in the state!

The most important task before the people’s representatives at this moment is the adoption of a regular budget for 2023 and the constitutional reform in the judiciarywhich no longer tolerates any postponement, especially after the “explosions” of records, compromises and requests for resignations in the prosecution and Supreme Court.

“Justice for Everyone” has an agreement with you on specific ideas for constitutional amendments in the chapter “Judicial Power” of the KRB and deadlines for submitting a constitutional project. You state publicly that you already have such a project ready. At the same time, the DPS group also declares that they have a constitutional draft from the last parliament and want it to be the basis for discussion in the current 49th National Assembly.

In recent days, the infamous deputy Delyan Slavchev Peevski, better known as the head of the DANS, who was overthrown by the people for one day and holder of the “Magnitsky” list, publicly stated on the sidelines of the National Assembly that he will be the supervisor of the judicial reform and the constitutional project of The DPS will be central to the debates in the constitutional committee. As of today, he already claims that you will prepare a joint constitutional bill with the DPS, which will be the only one!? We do not know if this is true or if this is how Peevski himself presents himself, whose goal is clearly to clean up his image internationally and show strength.

It is necessary to express our categorical opinion that we DO NOT ACCEPT mentorship, leadership or supervisory role of Delyan Peevski in the writing, submission or adoption process of a constitutional project for amendments to the chapter “Judicial Power” for reforms in the prosecution, composition and structure of the SJC! Peevski is that “red line” that we cannot cross, and we sincerely hope that you, who have repeatedly declared that you will wage a real fight against corruption and would not even talk to persons from the “Magnitsky” list, will not do it either. Today, Delyan Peevski was elected a member of the Constitutional Commission, and it is persistently rumored that he will even join its leadership, which it is completely unacceptable for us. The commission should be chaired by a member of parliament from DB or PP, after Associate Professor Atanas Slavov was elected Minister of Justice and at the clear request of Hristo Ivanov for the leading role of PP-DB in the judicial reform process!

We also want to have a meeting with the leaders of the coalition and PP-DB PG at the beginning of next week at the latest, to talk honestly and openly about all these issues, at a time convenient for you!