Bulgaria expects new Prosecutor General by spring

Bulgarian Justice Minister Nikolay Naydenov has announced that a new Prosecutor General is expected to be elected by spring. This timeline depends on the selection of a new Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which will be responsible for appointing the Prosecutor General and the heads of the Supreme Administrative and Supreme Cassation Courts.

Naydenov emphasized that the government's proposed candidates for the SJC were selected based on integrity, professional qualities, and a lack of dependencies. He noted that the government intends to implement constitutional reforms to create mechanisms for removing SJC members under a broader range of grounds, specifically to address situations involving undue influence or decisions made for personal or familial interests.

Currently, 25 prosecutors are competing for four seats within the professional prosecutor quota of the upcoming SJC. Analysis from the Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives indicates that many nominees are high-level prosecutors or former administrative leaders, meaning their selection will involve evaluating both their individual work and their past management of the judicial system.