Zdravka Kalaydzhieva, a Sofia-based lawyer active in human rights cases, has been elected Bulgaria's representative in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly picked Kalaydzhieva, who was contending for the post together with Supreme Court judges Rumen Nenkov and Pavlina Panova, the Bulgarian state-run radio reported.

Zdravka Kalaydzhieva has repeatedly represented Bulgarian applicants in Strasbourg court in her capacity of member of the non-governmental organization Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights.

Kalaydzhieva will be appointed for a five-year term and will replace the country's current representative Snezhana Botusharova.

In October last year Bulgaria went through the humiliating experience to see PACE sending back on a charter flight its three ill-qualified candidates for judges in the European Court of Human Rights.

Bulgaria's Justice Minister Miglena Tacheva described the failed election as a shame for Bulgaria, dismissing the fact that it was her obligation to take a look at the candidates CVs before the scandal breaks out.

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