Vladimir Valkov, a judge at the Sofia Appeals Court, is a candidate for the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) in the seats reserved for judges. His plan puts a better working environment first, followed by a fairer count of workloads and protection from burnout.
Judges are meeting today in a general assembly to elect their members of the new council.
Valkov says a judge's work should not be measured only by the number of cases heard. The complexity of cases, working conditions and judges' extra duties should also count, he says.
He says he is standing because he wants judges to work in conditions that allow good justice and to feel satisfied in their jobs. On the council, he says, he could speak up for rank-and-file judges, win back professional trust and strengthen judicial self-government.
In his view, the council's decisions must work in practice, come with clear reasons, and fit with judges' independence and with the quality and speed of justice.
On staffing, Valkov proposes yearly competitions, held in stages according to needs planned in advance. They would have clear selection criteria and a real assessment of candidates' skills. He also wants equal chances to advance for all judges, whatever the place of their court in the judicial hierarchy.
He sees running the council in three steps: analysing problems, weighing possible solutions and tracking results.
This is not the first time Valkov has addressed the council. Over the years he has raised questions about staffing policy, performance reviews, workloads, job stress and how court work is organised, and he has put forward specific solutions.