The Ministry of Justice has officially received a report from Teodora Georgieva, Bulgaria's European Prosecutor, detailing pressure, threats, and attempts to undermine the authority of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. According to Georgieva, these actions involve senior figures from the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria as well as a political leader sanctioned for corruption by both the United States and the United Kingdom (Delyan Peevski). The Ministry described the signal as unprecedented.

Georgieva, who has faced a serious personal attack and is currently under disciplinary proceedings by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, provided extensive documentation regarding the conduct of high-ranking officials. This includes her involvement in investigations of high public interest, particularly the case surrounding the expansion of the gas storage facility in Chiren, a project critical to both national and European security. The disciplinary proceedings against Georgieva are also part of the report.

The prosecutor linked the case in Chiren to the anonymous release of secret recordings in March 2025 of a 2020 meeting she had with Petyo Petrov, identified as the alleged head of the criminal network “The Eight Dwarfs,” which exerted influence over Bulgaria’s justice system. Georgieva asserts she was introduced to Petrov at the restaurant “The Eight Dwarfs” by a high-ranking prosecutor from the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Office with whom she had close collegial relations. She claims the recordings were edited and distributed to the media to create speculation while concealing the presence of other magistrates at the meeting.

The report also claims that during a disciplinary meeting in April 2025 with European Public Prosecutor’s Office delegates, a senior Bulgarian prosecutor intentionally misrepresented that there was evidence of bribes against Georgieva, which was not true. The report includes documentary evidence of the meeting and the conversation, and it highlights that Georgieva received threats, including on the territory of another EU member state, raising serious concerns for her safety.

In response, the Minister of Justice has initiated multiple institutional actions. The report was forwarded to the Ministry of Interior to ensure Georgieva’s immediate protection and to verify the reported threats. The Personal Data Protection Commission will oversee compliance with EU whistleblower protections under Directive (EU) 2019/1937. The special investigation mechanism for the Prosecutor General and his deputies will also be notified, alongside the competent prosecutor’s office in an EU member state regarding the cross-border threats. Meetings with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office management and the European Commissioner for Justice have been requested, while disciplinary accountability for magistrates involved is being examined.

The Ministry emphasized that the publication of the report has been authorized by Georgieva to maintain judicial independence, promote transparency in investigating institutional pressure, and maximize protection for the whistleblower.

Following the disclosure, public reactions highlighted growing concern over institutional corruption. Acting Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov commented that the revelations mark a turning point for justice, noting that more individuals are coming forward to challenge entrenched networks like the “Dwarves” and other influential figures within the justice system. He emphasized that whether Bulgaria’s justice system can overcome these entrenched interests depends on the collective action of society.