Balkan Prosecutors General Meet in Sofia
![EU Commissioner McGrath Calls on All Balkan Countries to Conclude Agreements with Eurojust and European Public Prosecutor's Office]()
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Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, video message to participants at the Fourth Forum of Chief Prosecutors of the Balkan Countries in Sofia, October 6, 2023 (BTA Photo/Hristo Kasabov)
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site.btaEU Commissioner McGrath Calls on All Balkan Countries to Conclude Agreements with Eurojust and European Public Prosecutor's Office
Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, in a video message to participants at the Fourth Forum of Chief Prosecutors of the Balkan Countries in Sofia, said that he calls on all Balkan countries to strengthen their judicial cooperation by concluding, where appropriate, working agreements with Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor's Office and by ratifying the Council of Europe conventions on mutual assistance in criminal matters.
The forum was organized by the Bulgarian prosecution service and was attended by Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, and Eurojust President Michael Schmid.
McGrath called on Western Balkan partners to fully implement the European Arrest Warrant and the European Investigation Order and to make full use of the potential of joint investigation teams and the European Judicial Network.
The European Commissioner said that Europe faces serious challenges, with crime and criminal networks never having been more digital, cross-border or international. In his words, effective anti-corruption policies are an essential part of the environment necessary for the rule of law, respect for the independence of the judiciary and a free and active civil society.
McGrath recalled that in 2023, the Commission proposed an anti-corruption directive, which is currently in the final stages of negotiation. The 2025 Rule of Law Report, published in July, which covers all 27 Member States and four partner countries in the Western Balkans, highlights the importance of protecting prosecutorial and judicial independence, including transparent appointment procedures.
He added that through the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project, the Commission will continue to fund training and support integration into Eurojust networks.
McGrath said that international legal cooperation must be based on independent judicial systems that can handle complex investigations and respond quickly to requests for legal assistance. The EU supports, he added, the strengthening of justice and anti-corruption systems, as well as the independence of the judiciary in the Balkan region. McGrath said the Commission welcomes closer cooperation between the Balkan countries, Eurojust and the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
He added that the Commission is developing a digital justice strategy to make criminal justice in the EU more efficient, sustainable, and secure, as well as a new judicial training strategy, which will be presented later this year. According to him, from next August, Member States will be able to apply the e-Evidence Regulation to request electronic evidence directly across borders. By the end of the year, the Joint Investigation Teams collaboration platform will be available, allowing members, including those from third countries, to exchange evidence securely.
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