The parliament has amended the time schedules for the procedures on election of chairmen of the country’s Supreme Court of Cassation, the Supreme Administrative Court and of the Chief Prosecutor. The amendments were introduced with changes to the Justice System Act. The election procedure according to the amendments has to start not earlier than 6 months and not later than 3 months before the expiry of the mandate of the incumbents. Up to now the procedure was opened not earlier than 2 months and not later than 1 month before the expiration of the previous mandate holder. Candidates for the posts should present a concept for their future work as head of the institutions.

The amendments also stipulate the election procedure for members of the Supreme Judicial Council and its Inspectorate held by the parliament and the bodies of the Judiciary. The Supreme Judicial Council candidates should submit declarations for their incomes and assets and the ways of accumulating their wealth. The National Assembly has decided the election for new SJC to take place on September 28th, 2012. It was voted that not later than 30 months after the law goes into effect new rules for direct electronic vote for the election of SJC members on the quota of the Judiciary will be introduced. The law also envisages the outgoing SJC members to be appointed to positions of magistrates, prosecutors or investigators one level higher than the one before becoming SJC members. The years passed at the SJC will be counted for practice as magistrate.