The President of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) and of the Supreme Court (TS), Isabelle Perellocommunicated to members on Monday his intention that the Supreme Court judge Dimitri Berberoff to be the new vice-president. Perelló has called a plenary session for September 25 to ratify it. This was stated by the CGPJ, stressing that “with the candidacy of Berberoff, who was a lawyer at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) between 2007 and 2010, member of the Network of Experts in European Union Law (REDUE) of the CGPJ and author of numerous publications on this subject, the president intends to strengthen the European dimension of the Supreme Court.
In addition, the institution announced that during the five years of his mandate, Berberoff will not hold any organic functions in any judicial association. He is currently vice-president of Professional Association of the Judiciary (APM)majority in the judicial career. The president of the Supreme Court is, as a rule, in charge of making this proposal. The truth is that the conversations between the magistrates proposed by the PP and those proposed by the PSOE to designate the new vice-president began after the CGPJ elected Perelló as the new president.
The members linked to the opposition assumed that, since the Presidency is linked to the Government, the Vice-Presidency should represent the conservative wing of the Council, for reasons of internal balance. This is why they suggested last week the name of Dimitry Berberoff.
Once Isabel Perelló officially communicates Berberoff’s candidacy, it must be supported and ratified by the plenary of the CGPJ with a three-fifths majority. If this majority is not reached, the president will have to make a new proposal. Therefore, the support of members linked to the Government will be required. Internal sources indicate that they will study Berberoff’s profile “without regard to any sectarianism”while stressing that “Perelló’s opinion on this issue is of particular importance.” However, it should be ratified without problem.
To be the Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, one must be in active service, be of the category of Supreme Court judge and meet the requirements for being the Chief Justice of the High Court, that is, have been a member of the High Court for at least three years.
