At a meeting with Chief Prosecutor, Bulgaria’s PM confirmed intentions to close specialised courts and specialised Prosecutor's Office

At a meeting with Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov confirmed the cabinet's decision to propose a bill to close specialised courts and specialised Prosecutor’s Offices, the government's press office said on February 4.

During their conversation in the Council of Ministers, Ivan Geshev appealed not to close the specialised courts and specilised Prosecutor's Offices, which activities, according to him, are yielding results.

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov has confirmed the government's decision, expressed through a bill for changes to the Judiciary Act, which has been submitted for public discussion - namely that the two specialised units should be closed due to their poor results in fighting corruption and organised crime, as well as other systemic deficiencies.

Details of the meeting were also published by the press office of the Prosecutor's Office.

They point out that at the meeting Ivan Geshev emphasised the need for a constructive dialogue between the judiciary and the executive and to improve the interaction between law enforcement institutions within their legal powers.

He also assured the Prime Minister of the commitment of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Bulgaria to contribute to the continuation of judicial reform.

Ivan Geshev confirmed the readiness of prosecutors and investigators to take an active part in the discussions on updating the legislation and the Constitution of the country, in order to implement the recommendations set out in the horizontal mechanism of the European Union for the rule of law.

He also noted that in order to ensure fast, efficient and quality justice, a comprehensive reform of the judicial system is needed, incl. bringing the criminal law system in line with modern challenges.

Ivan Geshev pointed out that it is in the interest of the Bulgarian citizens for the state bodies, which power is to counteract crime and corruption, to work in sync and trust, and in compliance with the procedural order.

Geshev stressed the leading role of the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office in neutralizing and preventing harmful foreign influence on the territory of the country, affecting the interests of the European Union and NATO member states.

images by Alexander Markov