site.btaEx-Ombudsman Maya Manolova Heads Consumer Protection Commission

The government has adopted a decision appointing former ombudsman Maya Manolova-Naydenova as chair of the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) until the expiry of the current mandate, the government information service said on Thursday.

The CCP is a specialized state body responsible for enforcing consumer protection legislation in Bulgaria and exercising administrative oversight across the domestic market. It is a collegial body under the Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry, with regional units across the country tasked with monitoring unfair commercial practices and ensuring the general safety of goods and services.

The CCP consists of three members, including a chair, who are appointed for five-year terms by a decision of the Council of Ministers and appointed by the prime minister. At least one commission member must be a lawyer and at least one must be an economist.

After Maria Filipova stepped down as CCP chair to become deputy ombudsman in September 2025, Aleksandar Kolyachev, currently a member of the commission, was designated as acting chair of the CCP. A decision has now been taken to appoint Maya Manolova-Naydenova as chair and terminate Kolyachev’s powers as chair, while he will remain a member of the CCP.