Rule of Law in Bulgaria

The UK will play host this week to the Global Law Summit (GLS). The GLS is a one-off
three day event being held in celebration of the 800th year since the sealing of the Magna
Carta. The Summit is an important collaboration between the Government, business and the
law, and will champion the Rule of Law as the foundation of the best commercial
environment for business growth and fair societal development, grounding the legacy and
values of the Magna Carta in todays increasingly globalised economy.
Im delighted that Justice Minister Ivanov has accepted the invitation to represent Bulgaria at
the Summit. While in London, Minister Ivanov will also meet UK Justice Secretary Chris
Grayling MP, and Minister for Europe David Lidington MP, for talks across a range of our
shared priorities.
It goes without saying that the theme of the Summit the Rule of Law is hugely relevant to
Bulgaria and Bulgarians. Bulgaria remains subject to the European Commissions
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) which sets out the further work Bulgaria
needs to do on judicial reform and on tackling corruption and organised crime. The most
recent CVM report noted the limited progress since January 2014, in large part because of
2014s political instability, but acknowledged the political commitment shown by the new
Bulgarian Government to the reform process, and welcomed the cross-party adoption of the
Governments Judicial Reform Strategy. But expectations are high that this political
commitment and endorsement will be turned into rapid results, including meaningful
convictions, and that the next report will be able to record some significant substantive
progress on reform, including on implementation of e-justice, random allocation of cases,
intensifying the fight against high-level corruption, and better governance of the judicial
system via the functioning of the Supreme Judicial Council. Of course, such reform is not
required because the Commission or Bulgarias EU partners demand it: that reform is
necessary so that Bulgarias development is not slowed by corruption, organised crime or an
unpredictable legal system, and so that all Bulgarians can benefit from a thriving, competitive
economy open to all.
This matters not just for Bulgaria, but also for UK interests. Significant numbers of UK
businesses sell to or invest in Bulgaria: the UK has been the fourth largest investor in Bulgaria

over the last ten years (and according to the preliminary data of the latest report from the
Bulgarian National Bank, it was the third largest foreign investor in 2014). Those investors,
whether the largest company or an individual investing in a single property, need to have
confidence that their contracts are enforceable in a functional independent legal system. And
the Rule of Law underpins our valuable cooperation with Bulgaria on a whole range of
security issues that can impact on our countries, and on the EU as a whole, including
terrorism and organised crime.
The UK has been a longstanding partner for Bulgaria on the Rule of Law. Minister Ivanovs
participation in the Global Law Summit is just the latest example of the ongoing cooperation
between our two countries: I accompanied Prosecutor General Tsatsarov to the UK in
November 2014 for a visit focussing on the criminal justice system in the UK; Asset
Forfeiture Commission Chair Plamen Georgiev and Deputy Prosecutor General Borislav
Sarafov also met their UK counterparts in 2014; and the Embassy has organised a wide range
of important events, meetings and visits focussing on the Rule of Law in recent years. Well
be picking up the pace on this in 2015, not least as we celebrate the 800th anniversary of the
sealing of the Magna Carta.
The UK will remain Bulgarias committed partner in its efforts to reform the legal system, and
to tackle organised crime and corruption. But by far the most important factor in those efforts
will be the ability of the politicians, the legal professionals and indeed the Bulgarian public
to capitalise on the current political will for reform, and to ensure that the sometimes
difficult decisions necessary to make that reform happen are taken.