High Court: Discussing a New President for the Supreme Administrative Court

There are grounds to suggest that the Judges' Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council will elect a new acting chairman of the Supreme Administrative Court. This was stated to the media by the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation, Galina Zaharova, before the beginning of a meeting of the chamber, at which this issue was expected to be discussed.

The tension in the air was palpable as journalists and officials gathered in front of the building. The camera lens captured the seriousness of the moment. Whether Georgi Cholakov would remain in office was the question that hung in the air. Judge Zaharova added that the decision depended on the chamber, recalling that it had already once been deemed necessary to appoint another acting chairman. "We will see how the debate on this point will develop today," she emphasized.

Regarding the refusal of the Supreme Court of Cassation to reopen cases at the request of the acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, on the grounds that he can no longer perform this function, Galina Zaharova emphasized that there is not and should not be any inter-institutional tension.

"At present, the situation is such that after July 21, 2025, the six-month period according to Art. 173, para. 15 of the Law on the Judiciary has expired and the same person cannot hold the position of acting," said the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation. According to her, the position of the Supreme Court of Cassation is expressed in specific cases that are pending before the court, and the court's decision on them is sovereign and irrevocable and must be taken into account. "The interpretation of the law is in the hands of the court and the court is sovereign to assess in the specific cases exactly how to apply and interpret the law," said Galina Zaharova.

According to her, the different interpretation of the law gives grounds for a different approach, but the law is one and it must be applied in the same way by everyone. The President of the Supreme Court of Cassation recalled that in the administration of justice, the word - the main and final - is that of the court, as it pronounces not in general on any problems of justice, but specifically on the issue with which it is seized.

Galina Zaharova explained that the consideration of the issue of appointing and dismissing a respective person from the performance of the respective functions is in the hands of the Prosecutor's Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council.