# Balkans judicial council appointment reforms > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/balkans-judicial-council-appointment-reforms > Updated: 2026-07-29T17:28:56.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. On 21 July 2026 Albania’s Supreme Court released the final list of seven candidates who meet legal requirements for election to the country’s High Judicial Council and set the 25 September vote date for the General Assembly of Judges. A week later, on 29 July 2026, Bulgaria’s parliamentary Committee on Legal Issues unanimously approved new procedural rules governing the selection of members of the Supreme Judicial Council from the parliamentary quota. The resolution outlines a timetable for candidate proposals, documentation publication, and qualification assessments, and expands eligibility to nominations from NGOs and the legal community to promote merit‑based appointments. Both events illustrate a regional push in the Balkans toward greater transparency and broader participation in the composition of top judicial bodies. ## Timeline ### 2026-07-29: Bulgarian Parliament Committee Approves Rules for Selecting Supreme Judicial Council Members Bulgaria's legal committee unanimously approved detailed rules for selecting Supreme Judicial Council members, expanding nominations to NGOs and setting a clear timetable ahead of a plenary vote. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bulgarian-parliament-committee-approves-rules-for-selecting-supreme-judicial-council-members ### 2026-07-21: Albanian Supreme Court Announces Candidates for High Judicial Council, Sets Election Date Albania’s Supreme Court released the final list of seven candidates for three seats on the High Judicial Council and scheduled the judges’ assembly election for 25 September 2026. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albanian-supreme-court-announces-candidates-for-high-judicial-council-sets-election-date --- Cite as: Balkans judicial council appointment reforms. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/balkans-judicial-council-appointment-reforms