site.btaBulgarian European Prosecutor Georgieva Found Guilty of Serious Misconduct by EPPO

On February 25, the College of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) found the Bulgarian European Prosecutor, Teodora Georgieva, guilty of serious misconduct, as detailed in the opinion of the Disciplinary Board, composed of high-ranking officials, or former officials, of the European institutions, said the EPPO on its website. 

Moreover, the College of the EPPO deferred its decision on the appropriate sanction as, considering the seriousness of the established breaches, and the high degree of responsibility of the function of European Prosecutor, it cannot be excluded that the sanction may be the dismissal of the European Prosecutor.

Therefore, the European Chief Prosecutor informed the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission of the decision of the College of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office as well as of the opinion of the Disciplinary Board in the disciplinary procedure against the Bulgarian European Prosecutor, the EPPO press release said. 

In accordance with the EPPO Regulation, only the European Court of Justice may dismiss a European Prosecutor because of serious misconduct, on request of the European Parliament, the Council or the Commission. For this reason, before deciding to apply a lesser sanction, the EPPO must put these institutions in the position to decide whether they deem it appropriate to request the dismissal of the European Prosecutor in question. 

The Bulgarian European Prosecutor remains suspended until a final decision will be delivered by the competent institutions, with remuneration withheld in accordance with modalities foreseen under the Staff Regulations. 

No further information will be made public for the time being, said the EPPO. 

Last September, the College of the EPPO said it has decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Georgieva. European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi notified the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Commission about the decision, the EPPO said back then.

The term of Bulgaria’s first European Prosecutor, Teodora Georgieva, expires on July 29, 2026. She had been temporarily suspended due to an ongoing disciplinary investigation, with Dimitar Belichev appointed as her deputy.