Vanya Stefanova Is the New Acting Prosecutor General Following Sarafov's Resignation

Borislav Sarafov is no longer Bulgaria’s acting Chief Prosecutor. He resigned this morning, and the Prosecutorial College of the Supreme Judicial Council swiftly appointed his deputy, Vanya Stefanova, as his replacement. She will hold the post for six months — the maximum period permitted by law.

Sarafov’s resignation came just hours after calls for him to step down from Ivan Demerdzhiev and from part of the opposition (We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria). Speculation about his imminent resignation had been circulating for at least two days. Calls for his removal had intensified since the end of July, when the six-month legal limit for holding the acting post expired under amendments to the Judicial System Act adopted in January 2025.

• Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov resigned

Pressure increased further following the appointment of the caretaker government. The caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister had even submitted a proposal to replace him through the Supreme Judicial Council, though it was rejected. Afterwards, Andrey Yankulov called for disciplinary proceedings against Sarafov.

Earlier today, the Prosecutor’s Office announced that Sarafov had withdrawn his consent to continue serving as acting Prosecutor General and published his statement to prosecutors and investigators.

The Prosecutorial College’s regular meeting began with an extraordinary first item in the agenda, during which Sarafov’s statement was formally acknowledged without debate in less than a minute, effectively confirming his resignation.

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov said: “What happened today is the restoration of legality in the management of the Prosecutor's Office, and I believe everyone is a winner as a result.”

In his address, Sarafov said he had been appointed as the Administrative Head of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Bulgaria. In June 2023, I assumed this responsibility in an extremely complicated institutional and socio-political environment, marked by tension, erosion of public trust, and attempts to involve the Prosecutor's Office in processes outside its constitutional functions. He said he had made the decision to step down earlier but delayed announcing it due to the political crisis in order to avoid further destabilisation. He also claimed that in recent months the Prosecutor's Office had been subjected to unjustified pressure, while he himself had faced a smear campaign. According to him, the conditions are now in place for a new stage in the development of the state prosecution.

The Prosecutorial College then sent a formal inquiry asking whether Sarafov’s most senior deputy, Vanya Stefanova, would agree to take over the position. Her response arrived within an hour.

Stefan Petrov, representing the Prosecutorial College of the Supreme Judicial Council, read her reply: “I hereby declare my consent to be appointed temporary acting Prosecutor General of the Republic of Bulgaria.”

No further statements followed, and just one minute and five seconds after her consent was announced, the proposal was put to a vote and approved unanimously.

Stefan Petrov said: “Those in favour of the two proposed resolutions, please vote. Nine in favour. Adopted.”

Vanya Stefanova thus becomes the first woman to head Bulgaria’s Prosecutor's Office. She has nearly 30 years of professional experience. She has led the Specialised Department of the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office, working on cases of fight against organised crime, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking and electoral crimes. She has also worked at the Slivnitsa District Prosecutor’s Office and the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office.

One of her most notable cases was the so-called “Kostinbrod ballot scandal”, involving ballots found in a printing house in Kostinbrod, in which Rosen Zhelyazkov was a defendant. The case ended in acquittal.

Stefanova also served as Deputy Chair of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) between 2013 and 2015.

She may serve as acting Prosecutor General until 22 October — exactly six months. After that, another acting chief prosecutor will be appointed.

A new Prosecutor General can be elected by a newly constituted Supreme Judicial Council. The procedure for selecting a new composition of the Council and subsequently electing a Prosecutor General is expected to take months. At the earliest, a permanent appointment could be made by the end of the year — and only if the newly elected Parliament moves quickly to appoint its quota to the Supreme Judicial Council in the first days after it is constituted.

Meanwhile, Borislav Sarafov will return to his previous positions as Director of the National Investigation Service and Deputy Prosecutor General. His term in those roles runs until 2027