Seven candidates have officially entered the race to become Bulgaria’s next representative in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), marking the start of a tightly regulated national selection process.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that applications were submitted within the official window running from November 24 to December 12, with all documentation lodged in accordance with national procedures.
The applicants include Mihaela Raydovska, Dimitar Belichev, Svetlana Shopova-Koleva, Plamen Petkov, Ivaylo Iliev, Desislava Pironeva, and Boyko Atanasov—figures with extensive experience across Bulgaria’s prosecutorial and judicial system.
The selection process will unfold in two clearly defined stages, designed to ensure transparency, professional competence, and compliance with European Union legal standards.
The first stage will take place on December 18, when a special committee appointed by Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev convenes to assess the formal eligibility of each candidate.
This initial review will focus on whether applicants meet the strict legal and professional requirements set out under both Bulgarian law and EU regulations governing the EPPO.
Candidates who pass this eligibility screening will move on to the second stage, which involves a public hearing before a seven-member committee.
The hearing panel will be chaired by Deputy Minister of Justice Stoyan Lazarov, with proceedings expected to examine candidates’ professional records, independence, and readiness for European-level prosecutorial work.
Public hearings are a key component of the process, intended to strengthen accountability and allow scrutiny of each candidate’s qualifications and vision for the role.
Following the hearings, the committee will nominate three candidates, listed alphabetically, without ranking them in order of preference.
These three names, along with a detailed report prepared by the Justice Minister, will then be submitted to the Council of Ministers for final national approval.
Once endorsed by the Bulgarian government, the nominations will be forwarded to the relevant European Union bodies, which hold the authority for the ultimate selection.
European Prosecutors are formally appointed by the Council of the EU and serve a single, non-renewable six-year term.
For Bulgaria’s next representative, the mandate is scheduled to begin on July 29, 2026, ensuring continuity in the country’s participation in the EPPO.
Eligibility criteria for the post are outlined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the legal framework that established and governs the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Applicants must be active prosecutors, judges, or investigators and demonstrate unquestionable independence from political or institutional influence.
They are also required to meet the standards for senior judicial or prosecutorial positions in Bulgaria, including a minimum of 12 years of professional experience under the Judicial System Act.
Beyond seniority, candidates must show proven practical expertise in national criminal law, financial investigations, and cross-border judicial cooperation.
Such experience is considered essential, given the EPPO’s mandate to investigate and prosecute crimes affecting the EU’s financial interests, including fraud and corruption.
European-level requirements further stipulate that candidates must be able to serve the full six-year term before reaching the age of 70.
Fluency in English is also mandatory, as it serves as the EPPO’s primary working language in daily operations and international coordination.
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that all procedural announcements, decisions, and updates related to the selection are being published online.
Detailed information is available on both the Ministry’s official website and the Supreme Judicial Council’s portal, ensuring public access and transparency.
Bulgaria’s selection process comes amid heightened attention to the role of the EPPO across the EU, as the institution continues to expand its investigations into complex financial crimes.
The outcome of the national procedure will determine which Bulgarian candidates advance to the European stage, where final decisions will shape the country’s representation in one of the EU’s most powerful prosecutorial bodies.