The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) became operational on January 1, 2004. It built on the achievements of the Magistrate Training Center, a nongovernmental organization established in 1999. The legal basis of the NIJ is the Judicial System Act, Articles 35f and 35g, and the NIJ Regulation adopted by the Supreme Judicial Council on October 1, 2003.

The NIJ is in charge of maintaining and furthering the qualification of junior judges, junior prosecutors, junior investigators, judges, prosecutors, investigators, public enforcement agents, registration judges, court clerks, court inspectors, and other employees of the Ministry of Justice. Pursuant to article 6 of its Regulation, the main purpose of the NJI is to enhance the efficiency of justice through quality professional training and furtherance of qualification.

The NIJ is an independent legal entity but has a functional relationship with the Supreme Judicial Council and the Ministry of Justice, both of which are represented on the NIJ Managing Board. The Institute obtains its funding from the budget of the judiciary, from various programs and projects, from donations or from its own resources.

The NIJ implements the following activities:

1. Initial training:
Six-month compulsory initial training for those junior magistrates who have succeeded the competition, immediately upon their taking office at the bodies of the Judiciary;
Compulsory initial qualification: courses meant to further the qualification of the judges, prosecutors and investigators who are first-time appointees at the bodies of the Judiciary.

2. Continuing Training:
Training courses for all sitting magistrates on basic or priority topics, in line with any amendments to the legislation. The emphasis is on those amendments to the legal framework and changes in jurisprudence that relate to Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union.

3. Training of Court Clerks:
Training courses for court clerks with diverse curricula.

4. Learning and Information Center:
Library and documentation services, access to case-law databases, including access to a computer room;
Website with up-to-date information on NIJ trainings and publications of training or other information materials.

Contact

Pencho Penev
Directeur du NIJ
14 Ekzarh Yossif Str.
BG 1301 Sofia
Tel.: +359 2 9359 100
Fax.: +359 2 9359 101
E-mail: mtc@dir.bg
Website: www.nij.bg