Foreign diplomats call for Bulgaria’s judicial reform to be meaningful
Foreign diplomats in Sofia representing several EU countries, the US and other states have called for the amendments to the constitution to start the process of reforming Bulgaria’s judicial sector to be meaningful.
In a statement issued the same day that six parties out of eight in Parliament came up with a compromise deal on the proposals, the diplomats issued a joint statement calling on MPs, regardless of political affiliation to “seize this moment of opportunity to agree meaningful reforms”.
“We believe these reforms are vital in order to ensure a real rule of law in Bulgaria and hence to tackle corruption and organised crime.
“They are also necessary to create the right environment for increased investment in Bulgaria including from the countries that we represent,” the envoys said.
The need for reform was clear, the statement said, adding that this has been demonstrated through the CVM reports of the European Commission, the conclusions of the Venice Commission, in the consensus built around the vote on the Judicial Reform Strategy and in our conversations with practitioners and the public.
“At this vital moment we strongly hope Bulgaria will embrace meaningful reforms” said the statement, signed by the EU ambassadors or chargé d’affaires of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.
The statement was supported by the ambassadors of Australia, Norway, South Africa and the United States.
(Image: glentamara)
