Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

President Radev takes the election of constitutional judges to court

Rumen Radev
Photo: BTA

President Rumen Radev has formally filed a request with the Constitutional Court to declare unconstitutional the decisions of the National Assembly on the appointment of constitutional judges. In his statement, the President underscores that the Constitution mandates Parliament to uphold principles of openness, transparency, publicity, and reasonableness in the selection of body members to ensure their independence. According to the head of state, these principles have been violated, which jeopardises the authority of the Constitutional Court, the presidential press centre reported. 


At issue is the election last week of two constitutional judges: Desislava Atanasova, a long-time leader of the GERB-SDS parliamentary group who has participated in the adoption of hundreds of laws, from the parliamentary quota, and former Supreme Court of Cassation judge Borislav Belazelkov, nominated by the We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB).
Meanwhile, fourteen bar associations in the country have also called on Parliament to overturn the decision to elect Atanasova and Belazelkov, reports Free Europe. According to the bar associations, the law was only formally observed in the election, as the two nominations were submitted at the last minute without public discussion. They point out that Atanasova has no experience as a judge, having worked briefly as a legal adviser in a psychiatric hospital.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Young doctors to go on protest again

Young doctors, interns and medical students are once again staging a national protest under the slogan "Future in Bulgaria". They are demanding better working conditions, higher pay, motivating conditions for postgraduate education and a long-term..

published on 6/27/25 8:56 AM

Expect scorching temperatures and a light breeze

It will be clear across the country tonight, with a light easterly breeze in eastern Bulgaria. Expect another hot and sunny day, with temperatures reaching 35–40 °C. Later in the day, a cold atmospheric front will move in from the west,..

published on 6/26/25 7:05 PM
Photo: Municipality of Karnobat / Facebook

A large fire is burning near Karnobat, the BG-Alert system to be activated

A large fire stretching about 10 kilometers is burning east of the town of Karnobat, Burgas district, reported the mayor of Karnobat Municipality Georgi Dimitrov. Due to strong winds, extinguishing the fire is difficult, said BNR’s correspondent..

published on 6/26/25 6:10 PM