Seven established legal experts have been nominated by the "We Continue the Change" parliamentary group for members of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), with the party highlighting their high professional and moral standards. The press office emphasizes that all candidates have had the courage to speak openly about the problems within the judicial system, and many have proven their ability to work for reform during their tenures as ministers and deputy ministers. Five of the nominees were put forward with the support of professional organizations and the non-governmental sector. Media outlets are covering the selection in a dedicated segment titled "The New Supreme Judicial Council," which includes news and video reports in both the Bulgarian and English sections of the agency.
The following experts have been proposed for members of the Prosecutors' College:
- Andrey Yankulov: A lawyer with over 20 years of experience, having served in the Sofia District and Sofia City Prosecutor's Offices. He has held high-ranking positions such as Deputy Minister of the Interior and Deputy Minister of Justice, and in 2026, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice. He was nominated by seven civil society organizations for his work at the "Anti-Corruption Fund."
- Prof. Dr. Vesselin Vuchkov: With 32 years of legal experience, he is an authority on criminal procedure law, having taught at the Academy of the Ministry of the Interior and New Bulgarian University. As a former Deputy Minister of the Interior, he initiated significant legislative changes. He demonstrated his independence by resigning from his post as Minister of the Interior in March 2015 due to disagreements with the Prime Minister. His candidacy was put forward by the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria.
- Emil Ivanov Dechev: Born on May 5, 1970, he has accumulated 30 years of experience as an investigator and criminal judge at the Pleven District Court and the Sofia City Court. During his career, he has served as Deputy Minister of Justice under Kiril Petkov and Krum Zarkov, as well as Minister of the Interior in the caretaker government.
The candidates for the Judges' College include individuals with extensive administrative and judicial experience:
- Tanya Radulovska-Madamzhieva: A graduate of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," she has 23 years of experience, including positions at the Ministry of Transport, the Financial Supervision Commission, and as a judge at the Sofia District Court. She has headed the Management Board of the Bulgarian Judges Association and served as Deputy Minister of Justice (March–May 2026). She was nominated by seven civil society organizations.
- Evgeniy Staykov: Former chairman of the Sofia City and Sofia Appellate Courts, as well as a former member of the SJC. As a former deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Cassation and head of its Commercial College, he has proven his competence in managing judicial processes. His experience also includes work at the Arbitration Court at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His nomination comes from the Bulgarian Association for European Law.
- Svetlozar Georgiev: A judge with many years of practice, having served as chairman of the Military Court in Varna and deputy chairman of both the Varna District and Regional Courts. After being unjustly accused and subsequently fully acquitted, he sued the prosecution and received compensation of over 90,000 BGN, an event viewed as a symbol of his independence. He was nominated by the "Inititiative Unity" Association.
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vasil Pandov: A lecturer at the Sofia University Faculty of Law in International Private Law, where he teaches courses on the subject, and a specialist at the University of Cambridge. He has served as chairman of the Supervisory Board of the National Health Insurance Fund and as a Member of Parliament. He was nominated by "We Continue the Change."