Bulgaria’s Judicial System Under Scrutiny: Allegations of Mafia-Style Influence

Recent allegations by Judge Vladislava Tsarigradska have drawn parallels between Bulgaria’s judicial system and the Italian Mafia, sparking a national debate about the extent of organized crime’s influence within the country’s legal institutions. These claims follow a period of reported internal restructuring within the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Office and a series of unresolved high-profile cases.

Allegations of Parallel Justice Networks

Judge Tsarigradska, a member of the managing board of the Bulgarian Judges Association, highlighted a pattern of events suggesting the existence of “parallel networks for justice” operating within Bulgaria. She cited several unresolved cases, including the 2003 murder of prosecutor Nikolay Kolev, where former Chief Prosecutor Nikola Filchev was suspected of involvement, and the shooting of businessman Alexey Petrov, whose killer remains unidentified. The 2023 detention of notorious mobster Matteo Messina Denaro in Italy serves as a stark reminder of the challenges in dismantling organized crime networks.

Further fueling these concerns, Tsarigradska referenced the 2024 parliamentary commission of inquiry into the murder of Martin Bojanov-Notarius, known as a figure within these alleged networks. During the inquiry, Sofia District Prosecutor Elena Zartova publicly described the operations of a group led by Pepi Euroto, a former investigator, and alleged she was invited to join it. Tsarigradska likened the functioning of these groups to the VIS and SIK groups, known for market redistribution, suggesting a systematic approach to influence and control.

Methods of Influence and Intimidation

According to Tsarigradska, a key tactic employed by these networks is media intimidation. She referenced an analysis conducted by the Union of Judges between 2017 and 2019, which identified over 100 judges as targets of “disgraceful campaigns” in certain media outlets, causing significant moral distress. These campaigns were often preceded by warnings, as allegedly described by Borislav Sarafov in July 2023, before a plenary session of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

Tsarigradska also pointed to allegations made by Stefcho Bankov, a former director of Internal Security at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who claimed he was pressured by former Chief Prosecutor Geshev and publicists to fabricate compromising documents against Boyko Borisov. Bankov also alleged pressure from Geshev regarding the wealth of Borislav Sarafov.

Broader Context: The Sicilian Mafia

The allegations within Bulgaria’s judicial system are being discussed in the context of the Sicilian Mafia, or Cosa Nostra, a criminal organization originating in Sicily in the mid-19th century. The Sicilian Mafia evolved from local protection and control over land to a powerful criminal network involved in racketeering, drug trafficking, and other crimes. Italian police recently launched a series of raids targeting Mafia clans in Palermo, Italy, in February 2025, in an attempt to dismantle the organization’s governing body, known as a Cupola.

While Judge Tsarigradska acknowledges that Bulgaria doesn’t experience the same level of violence as seen with the Sicilian Mafia, she asserts that the underlying mechanisms of influence and control are disturbingly similar.