site.btaHearing of Ombudsman Candidates Underway

The parliamentary Committee on Direct Participation of Citizens, Citizens’ Complaints and Interaction with Civil Society is holding a hearing of the candidates for the position of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria on Thursday. The hearing is open to media representatives, citizens, and civil society organizations.

According to the procedural rules, the hearing is being broadcast live on the website of the National Assembly.

There are six candidates for the position: Anton Stankov, Mariya Mateva, Dzhema Grozdanova, Dimitar Margaritov, Maya Manolova, and Velislava Delcheva.

The procedural rules for the election of the Ombudsman were adopted by the National Assembly on February 13, 2025. It was decided that the nominations should be submitted in writing to the Committee on Direct Participation of Citizens, Citizens’ Complaints and Interaction with Civil Society within 28 days of the adoption of the procedural rules.

Ombudsman nominations can be made by Members of Parliament, parliamentary groups, and non-governmental organizations.

The Ombudsman is elected by the National Assembly in a transparent environment for a five-year term and may be re-elected once, according to the Ombudsman Act.