site.btaSupreme Administrative Court Plenum Will Nominate Acting President

The Plenum of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) will name nominees to temporarily serve as the court’s acting president, the Judges College of the Supreme Judicial Council voted on Tuesday. The decision comes in response to recent amendments to the Judicial System Act, which took effect in late January.

Under the revised law, if the term of the Prosecutor General, the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation (SAC) or the Supreme Administrative Court ends prematurely or expires, a temporary acting official must be appointed for no more than six months.

The proposal was supported by judicial council members Sevdalin Mavrov, Daniela Marcheva, Tsvetinka Pashkunova, Veronika Imova, and Boyan Novanski.

SCC President Galina Zaharieva and council member Olga Kerelska suggested that Marinika Cherneva, the most senior deputy president of the SAC, be asked whether she would be willing to assume the position temporarily.

Last week, the Prosecutors' College ruled that the new legal provisions do not apply retroactively and therefore do not affect ongoing cases—such as that of Borislav Sarafov, who will remain acting Prosecutor General after July 21, 2025.

Kerelska also noted that when Georgi Cholakov was previously appointed as acting SAC president, his consent was first sought, and the court’s Plenum later endorsed the extension of his tenure.