THE dust from the recent harsh criticism directed by US ambassador to Bulgaria James Pardew against Bulgaria's prosecutors had barely settled when the German ambassador to Bulgaria Harald Kindermann and Dutch ambassador to Bulgaria Henriette Van Lynden joined in.
European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva followed suit and said that given the state of the judicial system, and the pre-trial phase in particular, Bulgaria would never join the European Union.
The bulk of right-wing MPs in Parliament seized the moment and filed a petition demanding the resignation of Prosecutor-General Nikola Filchev who allegedly used foul language over the phone to United Democratic Forces (UtDF) MP Dimitar Ignatov and the Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union (BAPU-PU) MP Plamen Kenarov.
In an interview with Dnevnik daily on December 17, and in an interview with the V Desetkata political talk show on bTV on December 18, Van Lynden said that the judiciary system in Bulgaria was not functioning properly and there were not enough trials of organised criminal groups.
According to her, there has to be a compromise and the political parties should overcome their differences and carry on with the debate because there was no other way.
"Currently we see parties, factions, parts of the judiciary system, prosecutors' associations which, instead of looking at the entire problem, have focused on tiny parts of the entire image," Van Lynden told Dnevnik. "What is needed is more wisdom to rise above the petty and see the major - people are losing their trust in the judiciary system, the civil society is feeling threatened. This makes us very concerned."
According to the Dutch ambassador, with such a judiciary system Bulgaria would not join the EU. She said that the EC report in October on Bulgaria's progress contained three protective clauses providing that if Bulgaria fails to fulfil the requirements, the accession date might be postponed.
In an interview with Inforadio, German ambassador Kindermann said he was very concerned about the non-existent progress in reforming the judiciary in Bulgaria.
"I would like to warn very urgently that you should not be joining the EU with a non-functioning judiciary system because this would considerably weaken the positions of Bulgaria in the EU," Kindermann said.
He said he did not like to intervene in the internal affairs of Bulgaria, but said that his personal experience in contacts with Prosecutor-General Filchev and the prosecution was extremely negative.
Meanwhile in Parliament a storm burst over Filchev.
On December 17, UtDF MP Ignatov told the House that, shortly after his statement that the prosecution had lost documents his group had filed regarding a bank loan for the construction of the paediatric hospital in Sofia, Filchev had called him on the phone and "in a state of extreme rage and overexcitement" had sworn at him.
BAPU-PU MP Kenarov complained in Parliament that Filchev had railed at him on the phone and had called him a "scoundrel".
Even though the majority of MPs agreed that this was an unacceptable attitude, they rejected a request that Filchev be called to Parliament to explain his attitude
Ignatov said he would sue Filchev.
Two days after the alleged swearing incidents, 39 MPs, mostly from the UtDF and the People's Union signed a petition demanding Filchev's resignation. They addressed it to the Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) and Justice Minister Anton Stankov.
The SJC is the only body in Bulgaria, which has the right to send to the President a request that a Prosecutor-General be dismissed. Only the President has the right to dismiss the prosecutor-general.
European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva followed suit and said that given the state of the judicial system, and the pre-trial phase in particular, Bulgaria would never join the European Union.
The bulk of right-wing MPs in Parliament seized the moment and filed a petition demanding the resignation of Prosecutor-General Nikola Filchev who allegedly used foul language over the phone to United Democratic Forces (UtDF) MP Dimitar Ignatov and the Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union - People's Union (BAPU-PU) MP Plamen Kenarov.
In an interview with Dnevnik daily on December 17, and in an interview with the V Desetkata political talk show on bTV on December 18, Van Lynden said that the judiciary system in Bulgaria was not functioning properly and there were not enough trials of organised criminal groups.
According to her, there has to be a compromise and the political parties should overcome their differences and carry on with the debate because there was no other way.
"Currently we see parties, factions, parts of the judiciary system, prosecutors' associations which, instead of looking at the entire problem, have focused on tiny parts of the entire image," Van Lynden told Dnevnik. "What is needed is more wisdom to rise above the petty and see the major - people are losing their trust in the judiciary system, the civil society is feeling threatened. This makes us very concerned."
According to the Dutch ambassador, with such a judiciary system Bulgaria would not join the EU. She said that the EC report in October on Bulgaria's progress contained three protective clauses providing that if Bulgaria fails to fulfil the requirements, the accession date might be postponed.
In an interview with Inforadio, German ambassador Kindermann said he was very concerned about the non-existent progress in reforming the judiciary in Bulgaria.
"I would like to warn very urgently that you should not be joining the EU with a non-functioning judiciary system because this would considerably weaken the positions of Bulgaria in the EU," Kindermann said.
He said he did not like to intervene in the internal affairs of Bulgaria, but said that his personal experience in contacts with Prosecutor-General Filchev and the prosecution was extremely negative.
Meanwhile in Parliament a storm burst over Filchev.
On December 17, UtDF MP Ignatov told the House that, shortly after his statement that the prosecution had lost documents his group had filed regarding a bank loan for the construction of the paediatric hospital in Sofia, Filchev had called him on the phone and "in a state of extreme rage and overexcitement" had sworn at him.
BAPU-PU MP Kenarov complained in Parliament that Filchev had railed at him on the phone and had called him a "scoundrel".
Even though the majority of MPs agreed that this was an unacceptable attitude, they rejected a request that Filchev be called to Parliament to explain his attitude
Ignatov said he would sue Filchev.
Two days after the alleged swearing incidents, 39 MPs, mostly from the UtDF and the People's Union signed a petition demanding Filchev's resignation. They addressed it to the Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) and Justice Minister Anton Stankov.
The SJC is the only body in Bulgaria, which has the right to send to the President a request that a Prosecutor-General be dismissed. Only the President has the right to dismiss the prosecutor-general.
