The Bulgarian Desk is headed by Biserca Ivanova Stoyanova, who is the National Member for Bulgaria since May 2023.
In 2023, the Bulgarian Desk was involved in 347 new cases, 21 coordination meetings, 4 coordination centres, and 6 joint investigation teams.
Biserca Ivanova Stoyanova was appointed National Member for Bulgaria in May 2023. Ms Stoyanova has worked as an investigating magistrate in several investigation services in her home country for more than 26 years. Her most recent post was Head of First Specialised Department at the National Investigation Service in Bulgaria. Before this, she also worked in the economic crimes, the international cooperation and the human trafficking and money laundering departments of this agency.
In addition to her legal work, Ms Stoyanova is also committed to training the next generation of investigators. As the Seconded Investigating Magistrate Trainer at the National Institute of Justice, she has educated junior magistrates in Bulgaria as part of their initial training. She has also been working as a lecturer for the institute for over ten years. Some of the classes she taught include ‘Protection of the financial interests of the European community’ and ‘Police and judicial cooperation in criminal and civil matters’.
Ms Stoyanova holds a Master of Laws degree from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in Bulgaria. Over the years, she has received a number of awards for professional excellence, most recently in 2019 the Certificate from the Prosecutor General of the Republic endorsing her ‘high professionalism and exemplary performance of official duties’.
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New cases (total) | 217 | 269 | 337 | 313 | 370 | 309 | 347 |
Coordination meetings (initiating and/or participating) | 21 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 21 |
Coordination centres (organising and/or participating) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 4 |
Joint investigation teams (newly signed and/or ongoing) | 6 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
From at least 2016 - Hundreds of thousands of investors all over the world fall victim to fraud by being lured into making fake cryptocurrency investments. Dozens of call centres and hundreds of fraudulent websites are set up by the suspected OCG
2018 - Investigations into the cyber scam begin, with seven countries opening judicial cases against the OCG to date.
Between March 2020 and March 2023 - Thirteen coordination meetings are organised to coordinate the national investigations and prepare for the action day. The Agency facilitates the execution of International Arrest Warrants, EIOs and Letters of Request to third countries.
April 2021 - Eurojust supports and funds a JIT, set up at the request of the Swedish authorities, also involving Albania, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Spain and Ukraine.
8-9 November 2022 - Eurojust sets up a coordination centre to enable rapid cooperation between the involved judicial authorities during the joint action day. Fifteen call centres are searched (6 in Albania, 5 in Georgia, 3 in Ukraine and 1 in North Macedonia), as well as 5 vehicles and 27 other locations, including in Bulgaria. Five suspects are arrested, four in Albania and one in Georgia. Approximately 50 hearings of suspects and witnesses are conducted.
Overall, the seizures include over 500 electronic devices, more than EUR 340 000 in cash, several mobile phones, bank accounts, bank cards, cryptocurrency wallets, ID documents and properties. In Georgia alone, approximately 12 000 000 Euros worth of properties, EUR 480 000 from bank accounts, EUR 565 000 in cash and 15 luxury watches are seized.
Eurojust is an agency of the European Union