National Assembly President Tsetska Tsacheva met with the International Association of Lawyers Honorary President, Mr. Miguel Loinaz. The guest is visiting Bulgaria for the 2015 Annual Awards in the Judiciary ceremony.

The chair of parliament reassured the guest that carrying out meaningful reforms in the judiciary continued to be an ongoing commitment of the leading political force. Tsetska Tsacheva informed the guest that at the beginning of 2015 the National Assembly had approved the updated strategy for reforms in the judiciary. The first step is already a fact – the adopted by the National Assembly amendments to the Constitution. She noted the amendments were important and a step further in the implementation of the reform strategy. The agenda of the National Assembly envisions adopting amendments to other laws to support the constitutional amendments passed already.

The Honorary President of the International Association of Lawyers, Mr. Miguel Loinaz, stressed at the meeting that lawyers were the main pillar in the defense of the principles of the rule of law. “It is not possible to defend the rights of citizens if our profession was not independent, strong and respected,” he underscored. Mr. Loinaz revealed interest in the proposed bill of amendment to the Bar Act and pointed out that laws should ensure lawyers and their professional organizations the right to freely exercise their duties, without fear of persecution or threats of some kind.

Tsetska Tsacheva informed the guest that the amending bill of the Bar Act was to be considered first in the legal affairs committee of the parliament.