Assoc. Prof. Atanas Slavov for the Bulgarian National Radio: “There are plenty of cases of undermining the independence of the judiciary”

“Every week, we have an abundance of specific cases in which the authority and independence of the judiciary are undermined.” Assistant Professor Atanas Slavov, lecturer in constitutional law at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” commented for Bulgarian National Radio.” He is confident that the monitoring in the field of justice and the rule of law will not be terminated. “Since this year, the European Commission has launched a new mechanism for assessing the rule of law of all member states. “There will be a common monitoring mechanism… In reality, for Bulgaria, there will be two monitoring mechanisms.” In the “Week 150” program, Ass. Prof. Slavov added: “The effect that these mechanisms have is to strengthen the reformist voices and support opinion leaders. But the final decisions depend on the Bulgarian institutions, and they make everything possible to avoid them or to neglect the recommendations openly.” “We have been playing this game for 13 years, and there is no prospect that this will cease.” In the words of the constitutionalist, “political corruption cannot be uncovered without the cooperation of people, participants in it”: “The thesis that Vasil Bozkov speaks things only to protect himself cannot stand. The Prosecutor’s Office should verify all the information which could be verified. Unfortunately, the Prosecutor’s Office often acts selectively. “But when it wants to achieve results, it can achieve results, only that the ordinary prosecutors are not allowed to do their job.”