Protest in Sofia against the election of Borislav Sarafov as Acting Prosecutor General

The “Justice for All Initiative” organised a protest against the election of Borislav Sarafov as Acting Prosecutor General. The protest is held in front of the Palace of Courts on June 23.

The demonstration is under the slogan "Sarafov is a replacement, not a change".

At 20.30, the protesters started a march toward the National Assembly building.

The protest is against "any attempts to thwart the intended reform of the judiciary".

A number of political figures from “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB) came at the very beginning of the protest to speak against what they said was a subversion of constitutional reform.

Co-chairperson of WCC-DB and former prime minister, Kiril Petkov, also came to the rally. He said that he and his party members want actual reforms to take place in Bulgaria.

Velislav Velichkov, Chairman of Justice for All: "We need a change, not a replacement. There is a need for judicial reform with constitutional changes and there is a need to abolish the office of the prosecutor general or to significantly limit his powers so that he is no longer the omnipotent master in the prosecution and the judiciary. Our protest is also directed against the extremely non-transparent, short-sighted election of a person who, in our opinion, does not have the necessary integrity to be acting prosecutor general. For two terms of office, Sarafov served two terms as Deputy Prosecutor-General of Tsatsarov (former Prosecutor general) and Geshev We have never heard him protest against the policy in the Prosecutor's office, except in the past 20 days. There have also been reports against him on the new mechanism for investigating the Prosecutor General, which is why we think that this choice is more the subject of an external order than a real choice of the SJC prosecutors college. The people who dismissed Geshev."

Nastimir Ananiev, "We Continue the Change". This is another protest for me, I have protested dozens of times against Geshev, now I have decided to support the “Justice for All" initiative and against the quick election of Sarafov. Instead of moving towards change, there is some kind of substitution, as one man said that he worked with his boss and cases were kept suspended and there was political blackmail now at one point he is acting as Prosecutor General. This is not a reform."

Ivaylo Mirchev, "Democratic Bulgaria". The choice of Sarafov is in no way a change, but confirms the policy that has been going on for the last years. The SJC, installed by certain oligarchic circles, chooses its next Prosecutor General. We are opposed to this and we want such changes in the Constitution that will prevent oligarchic political circles from once again choosing their chief prosecutor.

Images by Violeta Russinova

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Earlier today, Justice Minister, Atanas Slavov , said that next week he will appeal before the Supreme Administrative Court the election of Borislav Sarafov as acting Prosecutor General.

Justice Minister: I don't see a reason to start a procedure for election of a new Prosecutor General, considering commitment to constitutional reform

Borislav Sarafov was elected acting Prosecutor General by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) Prosecutors College on June 16, four days after Ivan Geshev was dismissed from the post for undermining the prestige of the judiciary. Sarafov will serve as acting Prosecutor General until SJC elects a new Prosecutor General.

Bulgaria's President signs Decree to dismiss Ivan Geshev from the post of Prosecutor General

On June 22, the SJC decided to open a procedure for the election of a new Prosecutor General.

Supreme Judicial Council opens a procedure for election of a new Prosecutor General