Students majoring in Law at VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" in an open dialogue with magistrates on the future of the profession
26 march 2026
At the initiative of the Appellate Court in Varna, and in connection with the 35th anniversary of Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, a series of meetings with students majoring in Law has been launched. The hosts of the first event were criminal judge Rositsa Toncheva - a lecturer at our university - and judge Ivan Stoynov from the District Court in Varna, an alumnus who also serves as a professional mentor to future legal professionals.
The main objective of the meetings is to ensure continuity through direct and open dialogue between young people, members of the judiciary, and graduates of the university who have already been established. The discussion covered topics such as the court, higher education, law, and the significance of time “Let us engage in a dialogue with time, because this allows us to see both the path behind us and the one ahead. Today is already the past, and tomorrow may be too late. In every moment of this conversation, there is potential - for knowledge, conclusions, professional direction, and moral guidance,” said Judge Toncheva as she welcomed the participants and invited them to engage in a discussion about the legal profession as a value of contemporary society.
The idea is to establish an active connection between future legal professionals and current judges, some of whom are now their lecturers, while others were students until recently but are already successfully developing their careers within the judiciary. One such example is Judge Stoynov, who, after graduating from Varna Free University, worked as a judicial assistant and now serves as a judge at the District Court. He told the students that a judge is not all-powerful but operates strictly within the framework of the law. The history of the establishment and institutionalisation of the press offices within the judicial system - an initiative that began in Varna - was also recalled. Participants reflected on the skills required in 2026 and the qualities developed at the university to ensure that future professionals are competitive and well-prepared for practice.
Fourth- and fifth-year students expressed their belief that the right path is the difficult one, rather than the one that avoids obstacles. The discussion also touched upon artificial intelligence, which, in their view, can serve only as an assistant but not a substitute for a legal professional with strong ethics and high personal standards. Judge Stoynov emphasized that change in the country must begin with young people who choose to act in the right way so that their conscience remains clear. Judge Toncheva also encouraged students to be ambitious and to become role models through their abilities.
According to Judge Rositsa Toncheva, the Appellate Court is the natural place where legal knowledge, respect for the profession, and judicial ethics come together. These discussions will continue to include alumni of Varna Free University who are building careers within the judiciary, with the aim of attracting motivated young professionals to the cause of justice.
The official hosts of the event were the Chairman of the Appellate Court - Varna, Marin Marinov, and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, Assoc. Prof. Elisaveta Kalinova, PhD, who provided a broad platform for this professional and equal dialogue.
