site.btaSofia University and Constitutional Court Host Conference Marking 35th Anniversary of Court's Establishment

Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in association with the Constitutional Court (CC) of Bulgaria is hosting an international academic conference on Wednesday, part of a series of special events with which the court is marking the 35th anniversary of its establishment.

CC President Pavlina Panova said during the forum: "A judge should not merely be the mouthpiece of the law, mechanically applying its texts. A judge must act as an interpreter and bear responsibility for that role. This requires the ability to listen and an awareness of the purely human consequences of their decisions. It also requires humility in the exercise of their powers. A good lawyer is not one who has an answer to every question, but one who knows how to ask the right questions."

"The Constitution, whose supremacy had long been subject to parliamentary oversight, has become a fundamental law that is safeguarded by independent bodies. The Constitution established the Constitutional Court as a guarantor of the stability of the democratic and liberal order," Panova added.

She said that a new generation of lawyers is being formed at universities, one that will shape the future of Bulgaria. "In a few years, you will be young lawyers and will bring new ideas to the practice of the profession," she addressed the students at Sofia University.

Prof. Evelina Stoeva-Dimitrova, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law at Sofia University, said in her welcoming speech: "Adopted 35 years ago and shaped through the lens of national traditions and European constitutionalism, the Constitution forms the foundation for the building and development of Bulgaria as a democratic, social, and rule-of-law state. The Constitutional Court is also a guarantor of this development - it shapes a lasting understanding of constitutional standards and ensures legal certainty and institutional balance."

Attorney Lyudmil Rangelov told journalists before the conference: "I do not believe that the current MPs will be able to shake off the inherent urge of political power to control the judiciary. No matter what candidates the Supreme Bar Council, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Union of Jurists, or the universities propose to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), the final decision ultimately rests with the MPs."

Rangelov added that the amendments to the Judicial System Act, which provide for granting the Minister of Justice authority over the decisions of the SJC, are a very strong example of the government interference and influence over the judiciary. The proposed provision allowing the Minister of Justice to suspend all acts and decisions of the SJC places the Council under the control of the executive branch, he said.

The lawyer added that there is no legal remedy to address this problem, as it can only be resolved through the integrity of the MPs.