Bulgarian European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva Under Investigation by EPPO

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has informed the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Commission of its decision to launch an administrative investigation into Teodora Georgieva, the Bulgarian representative at the EPPO. The investigation stems from a potential violation connected to an ongoing EPPO probe, as revealed by the office of European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi.

This investigation comes amid the release of video recordings showing Georgieva in a meeting with Petyo Velkov Petrov, known as "Pepi Evroto", on January 13, 2020, just before the selection of Bulgaria’s candidate for European Prosecutor. The footage, filmed covertly, allegedly shows Euroto discussing plans to eliminate Georgieva’s competitors for the role. While the EPPO has not commented directly on the content of the videos, it emphasized the importance of maintaining the independence of all prosecutors within its system, which is central to the institution’s mission.

The decision to initiate the administrative investigation was made by the College of European Public Prosecutors and will be closely monitored by EU institutions. These bodies are responsible for the appointment and potential dismissal of European prosecutors. The EPPO has stressed that it will not compromise the integrity and independence of its representatives.

Georgieva, who has a long-standing career in the judiciary, previously served as an administrative judge at the Sofia City Administrative Court and as a prosecutor at the Sofia District and County Prosecutor’s Office. She was appointed as the European Prosecutor from Bulgaria in July 2020.

In addition to this investigation, it was recently disclosed that Georgieva had been granted state protection by the Bulgarian authorities at the request of Laura Kövesi. This measure was taken following a fire in the village of Beglezh, which led to the tragic death of Georgieva’s mother. Kövesi cited concerns over Georgieva’s security and the general vulnerability of EPPO representatives.

The investigation into Georgieva follows public videos that surfaced recently, allegedly showing Georgieva in talks with Euroto at a time when she was being considered for the European Prosecutor role. Euroto, a well-known figure with significant influence in the judicial system, was reportedly involved in these discussions. This release came shortly after Georgieva publicly accused the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior of hindering investigations led by the European Prosecutor’s Office regarding abuses within Bulgaria.