Bulgarian judge in nomination row announces retirement

(SOFIA) - A Bulgarian judge whose nomination to the country's top court was blocked after objections from Brussels over corruption allegations, said Wednesday she planned to retire.

"I have no doubt in me that I have not performed any breach of trust, let alone an act of crime," Veneta Markovska said in a letter to the media.

"But in order to end any further speculation regarding me or state institutions, I have requested to retire."

Markovska, 61, was nominated by parliament in October to become a constitutional court judge, despite media allegations of corruption that had raised concerns from the European Commission.

But President Rosen Plevneliev stepped in last week to block her swearing-in.

Ex-communist Bulgaria has faced persistent criticism from the European Union for failing to reform its inefficient judiciary since joining the bloc in 2007.

Parliament is now due to pick a new constitutional court judge, with one possible candidates being Petar Stoyanov, president from 1997 to 2002.