Ex Bulgarian President Pops in Constitution Court 'Race'

Politics » DOMESTIC | November 20, 2012, Tuesday // 10:11
Ex Bulgarian President Pops in Constitution Court 'Race': Ex Bulgarian President Pops in Constitution Court 'Race' Former Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov (right) has a law degree, an extensive legal experience and enjoys international recognition and respect. Photo by BGNES

Former Bulgarian President, Petar Stoyanov, and former Interior Minister, Yordan Sokolov, are the most likely candidates for constitutional judge of Bulgaria's right-wing Union of Democratic Forces party, UDF.

The Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, citing reliable insider sources reported that Sokolov will be the UDF nominee, but a number of Bulgarian media, including 24 Chassa (24 Hours) daily, write that President Petar Stoyanov (1997 – 2002) will be the right-wing candidate.

The official announcement of the nomination is scheduled for 12:30 pm Tuesday after a meeting of the party's national leadership.

A seat in the Constitutional Court remained empty when last Thursday Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev walked out just as controversial judge Veneta Markovska was about to swear in.

Markovska's name had become implicated in allegations of trade in influence, which she was unable to dispel, but nevertheless chose not to resign, after being elected to the Constitutional Court by Parliament.

After Plevneliev's move, Friday Bulgarian MPs decided to launch a new procedure to choose another constitutional judge from the parliamentary quota.

Monday Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov unexpectedly informally invited UDF to nominate a replacement for Markovska on grounds the formation was the oldest right-wing party in Bulgaria and is a member of the European People's Party, EPP, similarly to his ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB.

The move is interpreted as an attempt from the PM to attract the allegiance of the Union and create further divisions in the feeble Blue Coalition between the UDF and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB.

UDF Chair, Emil Kabaivanov said the party will present a strong nomination, which will "clean the tarnished international image of Bulgaria."

DSB, led by former PM Ivan Kostov, already declared they would not nominate again the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Ekaterina Mihaylova, who failed against Markovska.

Former President Petar Stoyanov has a law degree, an extensive legal experience and enjoys international recognition and respect.

Yordan Sokolov was MP in Bulgaria's 37th, 38th, and 39th National Assemblies, served as a Speaker to the 38th, 1997-2001, and chaired a number of subcommittees. Sokolov is a respected Bulgarian expert in law, has published theoretical works in the area, and has a long practice as attorney. His career span includes over 50 years of law practice.

Last month he was nominated by the Cabinet for a high order for his contribution to the democratic processes in Bulgaria.

In 1990, Sokolov was legal advisor of Bulgaria's first democratically elected President, Zhelio Zhelev, and later Interior Minister in the first democratic government of PM Filip Dimitrov.

He gave up his political career in 2005 and returned to law practice.

Two years ago, Sokolov left DSB, voicing disappointment from their opposition to GERB. In 2011, he was invited by Borisov to join the official delegation to Tunis.

In recent days he lauded Plevneliev's decision to not attend Markovska's oath of office.

Speaking for Standard daily, Sokolov, however, has stated he did not know of anyone nominating him for constitutional judge.

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Tags: Rosen Plevneliev, Veneta Markovska, constitutional judge, Constitutional Court, Yordan Sokolov, Boyko Borisov, parliament, Blue Coalition, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, president, EPP, DSB, GERB, Petar Stoyanov, Ivan Kostov, Ekaterina Mihaylova, Emil Kabaivanov

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