“The reduced budget of the judiciary will not hinder the work of the prosecutor’s office,” Minister of Justice Nadezhda Yordanova stated.

In a position by the Supreme Judicial Council, SJC, the Council members cite the Constitution which lays down an independent budget for the judiciary as a condition for its independence, as well as an interpretative ruling by the Constitutional Court that the state budget must provide funding for the state institutions, including the judiciary bodies, and any derogation from this obligation is a condition for unconstitutionality. The Supreme Judicial Council is expected to refer the matter to the European Commission, the European Parliament and other European institutions. In response to the SJC’s declaration, Minister Yordanova stated that the Supreme Judicial Council is within its rights to refer the matter to the European Commission, and stressed that emphasis must be placed on effectivity and transparency in public spending. Minister Yordanova stated further that Bulgaria allocates the highest percentage of its GDP for the judicial system.

• Bulgaria is the EU member state with the highest number of prosecutors per capita
  

On its part, the government explained the slashed budget of the judiciary with the decision to rechannel an additional 20 million Leva (EUR 10 million) to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. According to PM Kiril Petkov, this will benefit the economy more than the work of the prosecutor’s office which is below standard.