Prof Veselin Vuchkov, a candidate for the prosecutors' panel of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), has promised to fight networks of influence in the justice system. He also proposes holding a competition every year for all vacant magistrate posts. He spoke on Wednesday, 4 November, to the National Assembly's legal affairs committee.

On Monday, before the committee met, MP Raya Nazaryan told reporters that GERB-SDS could back candidates from both the ruling parties and the opposition. Hearings for the 20 candidates chosen by parliament began the same day. The schedule was set in advance. The hearings run until 6 November and are streamed live on the websites of the National Assembly and the BTA news agency. Wednesday is the third day.

What happened before: Legal affairs committee hears first four candidates for Supreme Judicial Council from parliament's quota

"I will not allow political and economic influence to be pushed through me or my name," Vuchkov said. He said the SJC must build an environment where networks of influence cannot get in and grow strong. "If some appear in a few years, the verdict on the council's work can only be 'failure'," he said.

Vuchkov believes the SJC's biggest problem now is competitions that drag on too long, especially those for promotion. He said magistrates' workload, pay, postings and secondments all stem from the same delays. His plan calls for a competition every year for posts that fell vacant the year before, with no change to the law, and a final interview after each competition.

Asked by GERB-SDS, Vuchkov said Bulgaria has more magistrates per 100,000 people than any other EU country. He said it probably has more than it needs by the standards of other countries, but in any case enough. Asked by Progressive Bulgaria, he said he has never faced disciplinary proceedings, either as a lecturer or as an investigator.

Democratic Bulgaria asked about the prosecution's misuse of "investigation secrecy". Vuchkov said a procedure could be considered under which the chief prosecutor would release information for publication and agree it with the prosecutors' panel.

We Continue the Change asked him about the link between weak prosecutions and the state of the investigating units. He said the panel could build cooperation between the prosecution, the investigators, the Interior Ministry, the Customs Agency and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The next chief prosecutor must set an example of conduct that spreads to regional and district level, Vuchkov said.

Revival asked whether his proposal for a longer period to examine physical evidence in disciplinary cases against magistrates is a form of repression against an innocent magistrate. Vuchkov replied that the SJC's Inspectorate is responsible for abuses. He said a longer period would help the process, but excessive delay should show up in performance reviews and career progress. If he hears good arguments against the idea, he will not insist on it at all costs.

MPs from We Continue the Change nominated Vuchkov, taking up an idea from Vladislav Slavov, chair of the Union of Jurists in Bulgaria. Vuchkov has worked as an investigator and for eight years as a lawyer in the Sofia Bar Association. He was deputy interior minister and interior minister (November 2014 – March 2015). He also served as a GERB MP, elected from the civil quota, in the 42nd and 43rd National Assembly. He now teaches law at New Bulgarian University.