site.btaPrime Minister Deplores Apparent Inaction Against Judicial System Dependencies

Reacting to fresh disclosures about Bulgaria's European prosecutor, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Friday that nothing has been done to address judicial system dependencies in the cases of "The Eight Dwarfs" and "The Notary". "No progress at all has been achieved over the years, so I hope for a meaningful debate on the Judicial System Act," Radev told journalists in the National Assembly, where he had a hearing during question time.

Discussing Thursday's fine imposed on Petyo "the Euro" Petrov, an infamous power broker in the judiciary linked to The Eight Dwarfs group, the Prime Minister said: "This is not the first case when citizens are disappointed with our judicial system. There is an acute deficit of justice everywhere."

Radev said he would congratulate Borislav Sarafov if he withdraws from the judicial system.

Sarafov resumed his position as Director of the National Investigative Service in late April after resigning as acting prosecutor general, an office which he held for almost three years. Critics say he should have been replaced much earlier at the helm of the prosecution service.

The Prime Minister said: "We [are supposed to] have an independent judicial system, and we should protect its independence. The kind of Judicial System Act that will be adopted by our MPs is crucial."