site.btaSofia City Court Judge Anton Urumov Selected as Ad Hoc Prosecutor Investigating Prosecutor General, Deputies

Judge Anton Urumov from the Sofia City Court was selected Friday as the new ad hoc prosecutor to investigate the chief prosecutor and his deputies. He was chosen randomly through the Unified Information System of the Courts (UISC).

He was selected from among the judges included in the list approved by a decision of the General Assembly of the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court of Cassation.

The two-year term in office of the previous ad hoc prosecutor, Daniela Taleva, ended on December 7. She has since resumed her previous position as judge at the Sofia City Court.

Ahead of Friday's selection procedure, Supreme Court of Cassation deputy head Lada Paunova explained that when the term of the judge appointed to serve as ad hoc prosecutor expires but there are still unfinished investigations, a new ad hoc prosecutor is selected. According to information received from Taleva, a prosecutor's file No. 5 of 2025 on which she has ordered an additional check, will go to Urumov after the Supreme Judicial Council completes the procedure and appoints him as an ad hoc prosecutor. 

Paunova added that from the list of 12 judges from across the country who met the requirements, one withdrew their consent to participate in Friday's selection, and the procedure was carried out with a list of 11 judges. The selection was performed in a special module of the UISC, created specifically for this purpose in 2023.

Taleva was the first magistrate to hold this office under constitutional amendments instituting the position. Her name was drawn by lots from among 22 judges approved under a new procedure introduced by amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Judicial System Act.

The Supreme Court of Cassation received a request from acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov to attend Friday's selection, but he did not come.