The shortage of judges and public prosecutors cannot be overcome without an appropriate legal framework. The new law on the Academy of Judges and Public Prosecutors, which was published on ENER, introduces annual admission to the Academy based on precise projections by courts and prosecutors by appellate area, the Minister of Justice, Igor Filkov, informed at today's press conference.
,, Separate public calls are being introduced, with candidates applying for one specific job position – either for a judge or for a public prosecutor. At the same time, a merit-based ranking system is being established, where the best candidates have priority in the process of employment”, stated the Minister of Justice, Igor Filkov.
These measures are just one part of the reforms that the Ministry of Justice has been working on in the past period. The new Law on the Judicial Council has been adopted, which strengthens the mechanisms for accountability, transparency and responsibility. The laws on the judicial and public prosecutor's service, as well as the laws on salaries in the judiciary, are in government procedure.
,, The approach to these laws is careful and responsible in order to ensure a systemic, sustainable and fair solution, in line with the Reform Agenda and European standards. This is a sensitive matter that requires thorough analysis and comprehensive institutional coordination”, emphasized Filkov.
The judiciary has been operating for years with serious personnel, organizational and functional weaknesses. Minister of Justice, Igor Filkov, pointed out that the shortage of judges, public prosecutors, court and public prosecution services, as well as the limited opportunities for their timely filling, directly affect the efficiency of procedures, as well as the quality of decision-making and the realization of one of the fundamental rights - the right to a trial within a reasonable time.
"We are aware that without thorough and well-targeted reforms, such phenomena will continue to recur. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice has taken a systemic approach, by determining the factual situation on the ground and by taking specific steps.
During 2024 and 2025, the Ministry of Justice conducted supervision in all courts in the country. In this way, the situation for each court individually and the challenges it faces, were determined. The findings, among other things, clearly indicated a serious shortage of staff: the occupancy rate of court positions is around 67%, while the occupancy rate of the judicial service is only 36%”, said Minister Filkov.
These figures, according to him, are not abstract statistics. They mean postponed hearings, backlogged cases, overloaded courts and a serious risk of violation of a fair trial. Of particular concern is the lack of court and public prosecutor’s services – court clerks, clerks, expert associates, IT and technical support. Without this staff, the judiciary cannot function efficiently, regardless of the quality of the laws.
“In response to this situation, the Ministry of Justice yesterday submitted a notification to the Ministry of Finance, indicating that urgent employment in the judicial and public prosecutor’s services is necessary. This request is based on detailed information, specific needs from the field and notifications submitted by the Judicial Council and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. With this institutional step, we expect to ensure the functionality of the system,” said the Justice Minister, Igor Filkov.