Minister of Justice Nikolay Naydenov called on judges, prosecutors and investigators not to succumb to pressure when choosing representatives of the professional quota in the Supreme Judicial Council. In a post on Facebook, he stressed that the vote should be free and based solely on the personal judgment of the magistrates.
„Do not succumb to pressure and do not fall victim to petty calculations. The merchants of justice have no place in the temple of Themis“, wrote Naydenov. According to him, magistrates should not be afraid of influential figures in the judicial system. "Do not be afraid of the giants in the judicial system, because they are dwarfs," he said.
The minister also issued a warning to people he claims have "regrouped in someone's investigative office." Naydenov did not name specific names, but stated that their actions did not go unnoticed and that they were “not forgotten“.
According to the Minister of Justice, the upcoming election will be crucial for the way the judicial system will look in the next five years.
“I call on judges, prosecutors, investigators to make their conscious and free choice, which will emphasize that their independence is not a fading text in the Basic Law“, Naydenov said.
He called on magistrates to vote according to their inner conviction, their professional judgment and their integrity. “The choice made for the SJC will predetermine the shape of the judicial system in the next five years“, the minister emphasized.
Naydenov also recalled his position expressed during the presentation of the section “Justice“ of the management program for the period 2026-2030. According to him, a key moment for changes in the judicial system is precisely the election of the new members of the SJC - both from the parliamentary and professional quotas.