site.btaJustice Ministry Reports Performance under Caretaker Cabinet

The Justice Ministry on Thursday released a report on its activity while the caretaker Cabinet was in office (February 19 - May 7, 2026).

During that period, the Ministry prepared a total of 17 draft statutory instruments.

The Ministry triggered procedures for the transposition of EU directives whose delay exposes Bulgaria to a risk of infringement procedures and financial sanctions. Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Code of Civil Procedure accelerated judicial proceedings.  

In line with this country's commitments under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the Ministry drafted a Transparency in the Representation of Interests Bill (regulating lobbying activities), ensuring a payment of EUR 437 million under the RRP. 

Two other draft laws, prepared by the Ministry and approved by the Council of Ministers (a Bill to Amend the Criminal Procedure Code and a Bill on Tackling Corruption of Public Office Holders), met commitments on which the second and third RRP payment (EUR 401,258,433) depended.  

Proposed revisions to the Judicial System Act are intended to streamline election procedures for members of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and of the SJC Inspectorate, given that the terms of office of the sitting members have long expired.

Revisions have been drafted to the Code of Civil Procedure transposing Directive (EU) 2024/1069 on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings ('Strategic lawsuits against public participation') (the Anti-SLAPP Directive).

After legislative amendments drafted by the Ministry, the review of Bulgaria's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was successfully completed in March 2026, the report says.

Bulgaria has addressed 24 of the 25 gaps needed for its removal from the FATF Grey List (of countries with strategic deficiencies in combating money laundering and terrorist financing). All gaps within the competence of the Justice Ministry have been addressed.

Caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov has submitted proposals for the institution of disciplinary proceedings for the dismissal, as the severest disciplinary sanction, of the then acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, acting Sofia City Prosecutor Emilia Rusinova, and Judge Dian Vasilev.

New selection procedures were announced for candidates for a European Prosecutor from Bulgaria and of candidates for two judges at the EU General Court.

The Ministry elaborated a Concept for a Mechanism for Institutional Protection and Support of Magistrates against Threats, Pressure and Other Forms of Irregular Interference Related to the Performance of their Functions.