All seven Bulgarian nominees for the post of European Prosecutor have been cleared to take part in a public hearing, after meeting the formal eligibility requirements. The decision was taken unanimously by the seven-member selection commission appointed by Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev and chaired by Deputy Minister Stoyan Lazarov. The candidates submitted documents on time proving the required length of magistrate experience, as well as certified English language proficiency at B2 level.

The approved candidates are Boyko Atanasov, Desislava Pironeva, Dimitar Belichev, Ivaylo Iliev, Mihaela Raydovska, Plamen Petkov and Svetlana Shopova-Koleva. They will be heard in alphabetical order on January 14, 2026, in the building of the Supreme Judicial Council. The hearings will be open to the public and streamed live.

At the start of today’s session, the commission reviewed a request by investigator Boyko Atanasov seeking the recusal of commission member Kalina Chapkanova from the Prosecutorial College of the Supreme Judicial Council. He cited her role as rapporteur in a previous disciplinary case involving him. The commission rejected the request unanimously, ruling that the arguments presented did not justify her removal.

The public hearing represents the second phase of the national selection procedure. Following it, the commission will shortlist three candidates. These names will be forwarded by the Justice Minister to the Council of Ministers for approval, before being sent to the relevant EU institutions for the final stage of selection. European Prosecutors are appointed by the Council of the EU for a six-year mandate, with the next term scheduled to begin on July 29, 2026.

Ahead of the hearing, the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council will compile information on whether any of the candidates have been subject to investigations or disciplinary proceedings. The checks will cover integrity, potential conflicts of interest, actions harming the prestige of the judiciary, or interference with judicial independence. These materials, however, do not affect the formal admissibility of the candidates.

The special selection committee includes Justice Ministry Secretary General Venera Milova; Veronika Imova and Tsvetinka Pashkunova from the Judicial College of the Supreme Judicial Council; Kalina Chapkanova and Gergana Mutafova from the Prosecutorial College; and Prof. Dr. Georgi Mitov from the Criminal Law Department at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.