Justice Minister initiates procedure to replace chief prosecutor

Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov has called a plenary session of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on 26 February 2026. The agenda includes a single item: the appointment of an acting Chief Prosecutor.

Yankulov states that, since 21 July 2025, Bulgaria has not had a legitimate acting Chief Prosecutor. He asserts that it is unacceptable in a state governed by the rule of law for supreme court judges to not recognise the authority of the Chief Prosecutor.

• Supreme Court of Cassation removes Borislav Sarafov as acting chief prosecutor

'For more than half a year, the prosecution service — one of the most important state institutions, holding key powers in law enforcement — has been operating without the necessary guarantees for the precise and uniform application of the law by all prosecutors. These guarantees are assigned to the office of the Chief Prosecutor by the Constitution. This delegitimises and undermines public trust in this institution and in justice in Bulgaria,” said Yankulov.

Following the removal of the former Chief Prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, in 2023, Borislav Sarafov was appointed acting Chief Prosecutor and continues to serve in that capacity.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova