The European Commission must undertake swift measures to protect the rule of law in Bulgaria, according to now former judge at the Regional Court in the Black Sea capital Varna, Dushana Zdravkova.

In a letter to Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Zdravkova, who is a former Member of the European Parliament from the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB, party, and one of the party's founders, says the problems in the Bulgarian justice system now exceed by far the boundaries of professionalism and civil tolerance.

"The executive power is firing and hiring, and exerting pressure on the judicial system and the police brutality is clearly visible," Zdravkova writes in her letter, which has been also sent to the media.

The judge further points out the deadline to publish the EC monitoring report on Bulgaria is fast approaching, and the EU must protect the citizens of Bulgaria and conduct its own probe.

"Nepotism is raging in Bulgaria, something strongly criticized and deemed unacceptable by European institutions," Zdravkova points out.

She is further requesting Reding's assistance over increased police brutality – cases of violence, busting into private property, arrests carried out before children's eyes, and total disregard for human dignity.

The judge reminds Reding about their partnership in working on having the EU emergency hot line 112 in Bulgaria, during the Commissioner's previous term, pointing out she has been very impressed by her involvement in solving problems and her quick reaction.

Zdravkova, who recently resigned as judge, says her work as MEP taught her to stand for and protect clear civil positions, the reason why she had resigned from her post as magistrate.

"I am one of the judges with a long professional career, who returned to the judicial system to work on true and substantial reforms, something that until now failed to materialize," Zdravkova states.

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