On November 12 Bulgarian president Georgi Purvanov issued a decree to appoint Lazar Gruev as chairman of the Supreme Court of Cassation, mediapool.bg announced.

This officially ended Gruev's mandate as a constitutional judge. On Friday, November 9, the Supreme Judicial Council of Bulgaria elected Gruev chairman of the Supreme Court of Cassation. He is due to replace Ivan Grigorov as chairman when his mandate expires on November 20, Dnevnik daily said.

Lazar Gruev entered Bulgaria's Constitutional Court through the president's quota. Before this he was Purvanov's legal issues adviser, mediapool.bg reminded.

Gruev was nominated for the position by 17 members of the Supreme Judicial Council. He was elected chairman of the Supreme Court of Cassation with 19 out of 25 votes, Dnevnik daily said.

During his formal hearing at the Council he promised to work to increase the law interpreting activity of the Court and to establish closer contacts with other courts. He also declared his support for the adoption of a new Penal Code.