The Ministry of Justice has reported significant progress in reforming the judicial system one year after the government’s formation. According to Minister of Justice Igor Filkov, the ministry has transitioned from a dysfunctional institution burdened with debt and lacking trust to a key pillar of reforms and a guarantor of the rule of law.

In the past year, the ministry has prepared and submitted 22 systemic laws to the Government, with 13 directly addressing the Reform Agenda. These laws focus on various aspects of the judicial system, including the election, evaluation, salaries, status, and responsibility of judges and prosecutors, as well as the institutional capacities of judicial councils, expertise, and services.

Filkov highlighted the new draft Law on the Judicial Council as a key reform, which aims to radically change the way judges are elected and dismissed and increases the responsibility of the Council members themselves.

Seven of the eight laws in the Reform Agenda with a June 2025 deadline have already been submitted to the government. These include laws on the salaries of judges, public prosecutors, and members of the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors, as well as laws on the Judicial Council, Court Service, and Public Prosecutor’s Service. The text of the Electoral Code, the eighth law, was prepared by the Ministry of Justice in accordance with the recommendations of ODIHR and has been sent to ODIHR for review and expert assistance to ensure full harmonization with their recommendations.

In addition to the reform laws, the Ministry of Justice has also prepared the Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers and the Law on Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interest, which are not part of the Agenda but stem from EU obligations and GRECO recommendations.

The Ministry of Justice has stated its commitment to continuing the reform agenda with the same pace, political will, and professional dedication.