Four judges will compete to head the Sofia City Court, which reviews company disputes with the greatest material interest and the most serious criminal cases.

Vladimira Yaneva, a judge from the Sofia City Court, is expected to win. She and her husband Iliya Manolev are family friends with the Bulgarian Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

Yaneva was put forth for the position by five members of the Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council (VSS), which is the body that will decide who will head the Sofia City Court. She was admitted at the Sofia City Court in 2006 without competition, despite the rules.

Five other VSS members put forth the candidature of Velichka Tsanova, who is the head of the Executive Directorate of the Sofia City Court. Tsanova also received informal support by the Sofia Court of Appeals.

The third candidate for the position is Desislav Lyubomirov, who has been working in the Sofia City Court for about a year. He submitted his own application, which makes his chances for win small because ten of the members already have their favorites.

Maria Vranescu, who works in the Sofia City Court, has also submitted her own candidature. This is the second time she is competing to head the court.

The Supreme Judicial Council will assess the work of all candidates. Only the ones who receive a positive assessment will continue in the competition.