site.btaFifteen Judges from Sofia City Court Demand Leaders' Resignation

Fifteen Judges from Sofia
City Court Demand Leaders'
Resignation

Sofia, December 10 (BTA) - Fifteen judges from the Sofia City
Court (SCC) have demanded their leaders' resignation over case
distribution.

In a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council, the judges demanded
the dismissal of Court President Vladimira Yaneva and her
deputies, Bogdana Zhelyavska and Petya Kruncheva. The judges
claim they do not trust their leaders and are concerned that the
SCC's reputation could be damaged irreparably.

Irregularities in the operation of the SCC's Commercial Division
were reported in the bankruptcy case of the Domaine Menada
Winery and Belvedere Distribution, among others. It became
public last week after a bTV interview in which French
Ambassador Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes blamed judge Roumyana
Chenalova of malpractice in the bankruptcy case against
Belvedere subsidiaries. The Ambassador also expressed doubts
about the manner in which the case was assigned to Chenalova.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Justice Minister Hristo Ivanov
on December 6 called on the Supreme Judicial Council to take
urgent and transparent action in order to dispel all doubts
about the reliability of the case assignment system. They also
expect answers to all questions about the operation of the SCC's
Commercial Division.
VI/DD


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