The first phase of the execution of the project “Increase of the transparency and efficiency in the work of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC)”, financed by Operational Programme “Administrative Capacity” 2007-2013. Apart from the preparation of a detailed analysis, within its frames, the Law Office “Popov and Partners” organized a series of working meetings in courts and institutions in Germany, Spain and Portugal.

During the visit in the city of Koblenz in the period 18/11-22/11/2013, the Bulgarian delegation included representatives of SAC and the experts from “Popov and Partners”: Emiliyan Arnaudov, Svilena Stoyanova and Emiliya Ruseva.

Our national magistrates exchanged valuable experience with their colleagues from Germany. Several meetings were conducted in the Main administrative court of Rainland-Phalz, headed personally by the Chairperson of the court – PhD Lars Broker, who is also the Chariperson of the Constitutional Court of the Province.

The topics which have been discussed were extremely practically directed and contributed for the enrichment of the prepared by “Popov and Partners” analysis of the legal frame. The Bulgarian delegation attended at the conduction of an open court hearing.

Magistrates from other courts, like PhD Carl-Ulrih Hildemstein from the Financial court of Rainland-Pfalz, took participation and carried out detailed presentations.

In the period 24/11-28/11/2013 a visit in Madrid was conducted. Representatives of SAC, the main managing partner Galin Popov and the experts Svilena Stoyanova and Stanislav Nikolov conducted work meetings in the General Council of the Judicial System, which has similar functions with the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council, and also in the administrative divisions of the Supreme tribunal of the Kingdom of Spain, the National Audience and the High Tribunal for Justice in Madrid.

Spain was an object of detailed study about the function of its judicial system and in particular – the administrative jurisdiction. As a result from the prepared by Law Office “Popov and Partners” analysis, it was found that the country is a source of number of good practices, which might be borrowed for the purpose of improvement the work of SAC. The visitations confirmed the preliminary expectations and contributed to a deeper analysis and the output of concrete recommendations.

In the period 02/12-06/12/2013 was conducted the third visit – in Lisbon. Together with the representatives from SAC, the delegation included the experts from the Law Office Emiliyan Arnaudov, Svilena Stoyanova and Stanislav Nikolov.

The discussions with the Managers of the Supreme Administrative Court of Portugal and the South Central Administrative Court (a peculiar appellate administrative court) confirmed the positive development of their administrative justice. The meetings contributed to the fully develop of the preliminary analysis, which the Law Office prepared.

Within the stay in Lisbon, the delegation was kindly welcomed in the Bulgarian Embassy by His Excellency ambassador Todor Stoyanov. After he got acquainted with the purposes of the visit and the overall conception of the executed project, Mr. Todor Stoyanov greeted it and could not hide his gladness from the cooperative relations with the Portuguese judicial institutions.