Vanya Stefanova Seeks Disciplinary Dismissal of Plovdiv Appellate Prosecutor Tihomir Stoev.

The proposal was submitted on the basis of a letter from the Minister of Justice dated April 29, 2026, as well as an inspection carried out by the Inspectorate Department of the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office (SCPO). In its opinion, the SCPO's Professional Ethics Commission concluded that Tihomir Stoev violated his official duties and damaged the prestige of the judiciary through his conduct in March 2026.

Tihomir Stoev has served as Appellate Prosecutor of Plovdiv since December 2025, after acting in the position for several months. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigator and prosecutor. He has worked at the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office, the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office and the State Agency for National Security (SANS). While serving at the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office, he supervised several high-profile cases, including those against Vasil Bozhkov and Desislava Ivancheva.

Stoev became embroiled in controversy after a report was sent to Interior Minister Nikolay Naydenov alleging that he had exerted pressure on a senior Interior Ministry official. Despite the current moratorium on part of their powers, members of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), whose mandate has now continued into its ninth year, retain the authority to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

At the request of Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, the SJC has already dismissed the Pleven District Prosecutor. The request for Stoev's dismissal is linked to a report submitted by a senior Interior Ministry official.