Pavlina Panova -
chairman
Date and place of birth: February 12, 1967, Gramada, Vidin.
Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1992). Regional Prosecutor at the Regional Prosecutors’ Office, Sofia (1992-1994); judge at the Sofia Regional Court (1994-1998); judge at the Sofia City Court (1998-2001); judge at the Sofia Court of Appeal (2001-2007); judge at the Supreme Court of Cassation, Penal Division (2007-2018); deputy to the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation and Chairperson of the Penal Division of the Supreme Court of Cassation (2013-2018). Doctor of Philosophy in law at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (2004), Master in European Union Law (2007), Part-time lecturer of criminal law at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1996-2000). Lecturing at the National Institute of Justice (2000), Lecturing at Attorneys’ Training Centre „Krastiu Tsonchev“ (2008). Specialization in T.M.C. Asser Instituut in The Hague, specializations in European Union law in Germany and in European Institute of Public Administration in Luxembourg. Specializations in Denmark, Poland and France. National Representative of Bulgaria in the Joint Supervisory Body of Eurojust. Since the beginning of 2009 she has been an ad hoc judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Author of articles and publications, co-author of a collection of case law and monographs. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Jurists. Founder and Member of the Management Board of the Bulgarian Association for European Law and Member of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria. Elected Constitutional Court Justice by the Joint Meeting of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Administrative Court (2018).
Atanas Semov -
judge
Date and place of birth: March 23, 1970, Sofia.
Education: Faculty of Law, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski University (1995). Masters of EU Law at the European University Center, Nancy, France (1998), where he also completes his PhD studies (1999-2002).
In 1999 he became an Assistant Professor of EU Law at Sofia University, from 2010 he is an Associate Professor and from 2017 – Professor of EU Law. Doctor of EU law since 2007 and Doctor Juris from 2012.
In 2012 he received from the European Commission the title ”Jean Monnet Chair” for his works on the judicial system of the EU.
He has been a guest lecturer at the universities of Bordeaux and Nancy (France), as well as Zagreb (Croatia), teaches yearly at the European University Center in Nancy, France.
He is an author of 12 monographies and more than 80 scientific papers and articles, organizer of 16 international conferences in Bulgaria, France and Japan. He is deputy chairman of the Bulgarian International Law Association (1994-2918). Founder and manager of the International Master on EU Law at the Faculty of Law of the Sofia University (jointly with the University of Nancy and the University of Strasbourg, 2006-2018). One of the founders of the Bulgarian association on European Law (2009).
He took part as an expert in the Commission on amendments of the Constitution at the 39th National Assembly (2003). He has been deputy chairman of the 41st National Assembly and chairman of the Group for friendship with France (2009-2010), as well as member of the Legal Counsel of the President of Republic of Bulgaria (2017-2018).
He was appointed for Constitutional Court Justice by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2018).
Konstantin Penchev -
judge
Date and place of birth: March 21, 1952, Sofia. Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1976). Postgraduate specialization in Protection of Competition, France (1991). Trainee judge at the Sofia District Court (1977 – 1978). Junior judge at the Sofia City Court (1979 - 1981). Chairman of the Svoge Regional Court (1981 - 1984). Expert at the Contracts and Legal Matters Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1984 - 1986). Judge at the Sofia District Court (1986 - 1989). Deputy Chairman of the Sofia District Court (1989 - 1994). Lawyer at the Sofia Bar Association (1994 - 2004). Member of the XXXIX National Assembly (2000 - 2004). Chairman of the Supreme Administrative Court (2004 - 2010). Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria (2010 - 2015). Elected Constitutional Court Justice by the XLIII National Assembly (2015).
Krasimir Vlahov -
judge
Date and place of birth: September 24, Pleven.
Education: Faculty of Law, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski University (1994). Training in European Union law at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut in the Hague, the Netherlands and the Regional Institute for Administrative Reform in Nantes, France. Justice candidate at the Sofia District Court (1995-1996). Junior judge at Sofia District Court (1996- 1997). Judge and deputy chairman of the Sofia Regional Court (1997-2004). Justice at the Sofia City Court (2004-2008). Chairman of the Sofia City Court (2008- 2012). Justice, deputy chairman at the Supreme Court of Cassation (2012- 2018). Member of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria with publications in the field of civil material and procedural law. Professor of Civil law and procedure at the Faculty of Law at the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski University and the National Institute of Justice. Granted with an expression of official gratitude and a certificate for exceptional fulfillment of his professional duties as an incentive (2006). Awarded with the Annual Award of the Union of Jurists in Bulgaria for his professional achievements and active union work (2016). Elected for a Constitutional Court Justice by the National Assembly (2018).
Mariana Karagiozova-Finkova -
judge
Date and place of birth: September 21, 1949, Burgas. Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, specialized in "State Legal Studies” and “Jurisdiction” (1971). Trainee lawyer (1972-1973). After a PhD dissertation defense, full-time Assistant Professor, Senior Assistant, Chief Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law Studies at the Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1979-1996); since 1996 – Associate Professor in Constitutional Law; since 2009 – Professor of Constitutional Law.
Lecture courses on Constitutional Law of the Republic of Bulgaria at: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia – Law and International Relations degree programmes; Faculty of Philosophy – Public Administration degree programme; at New Bulgarian University - Department of National and International Security and Law programme; Constitutional Justice at: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia – Law programme; Faculty of Philosophy - European Studies programme; Burgas Free University – Law programme; European Constitutionalism at the Faculty of Philosophy - European Studies programme; Institutions and the decision-making process in the European Union at the Faculty of Philosophy - Public Administration programme. Specialization at universities in Prague, Moscow, Leiden, Maastricht, Philadelphia, Florence, Fribourg. Author of monographs, studies, articles and publications in the field of constitutional justice and public legal aspects of the European Union. Head of the Constitutional Law Studies Department at the Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (2003-2013). Member of the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Law (2005-2014), and the General Assembly of Sofia University for this period. Member of the specialized council of legal studies at the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC) (2005-2012). Appointed Constitutional Court Justice by the President of the Republic (2015).
Nadezhda Dzhelepova -
judge
Date and place of birth: January 29, 1959, Burgas. Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1983). Trainee judge at the Sofia District Court (1983 – 1984). Junior judge at the Sofia District Court (1984-1986). Regional judge at the Regional Court of Elin Pelin (1986 – 1989). Arbitrator at the City State Arbitration Court (1989-1991). Justice (1991 – 1995) and Deputy Chairperson (1995 – 2000) of the Sofia District Court. Justice, Chairperson of Division, Deputy Chairperson at the Supreme Administrative Court (2000 – 2018). Lecturer in seminars in administrative law (2010 – 2015). Elected Constitutional Court Justice by the Joint Meeting of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Administrative Court (2018).
Philip Dimitrov -
judge
Date and place of birth: March 31, 1955, Sofia. Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1977). Specialization in Woodrow Wilson Center (2003). PhD in Political Science at New Bulgarian University (2010). Law practice for a period of 20 years (between 1979 and 2015, with breaks). Founder and Secretary of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria (1989 – 1990). Lecturer at: the American University in Blagoevgrad (2002 - 2008), University of Toronto, Canada (2007), Christopher Newport University, Virginia, USA (2008-2009), New Bulgarian University, Sofia (2015). Member of the XXXVI and XXXVII National Assembly and Vice-President of the XL National Assembly. Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria with the United Nations (1997 - 1998) and the USA (1998 - 2002) and with the European Union in Georgia (2010 - 2014). Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria (1991 -1992). Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Georgia, Tbilisi (2014). Author of political and politico-legal studies and historical novels.
Appointed Constitutional Court Justice by the President of the Republic (2015).
Sonya Yankulova -
judge
Judge Sonya Yankulova is born on 19.11.1958 in the town of Shumen. Graduated from the Law Faculty of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" (1982). She holds a Мaster’s degree from Sofia University and the European University Centre in Nancy, France, in the International Master's Degree Programme "Law of the European Union", specialization in International Relations, as well as a specialization at the Royal Collage of Defence Studies, London. She is in the judiciary since 1988 - Judge at the Third District Court, Sofia (1988 – 1993); Judge at the Sofia City Court, Chairman of the Administrative Division (1993-1998); Judge, Chairman of the Chamber at the Supreme Administrative Court (1998-2001, 2009 - 2021). She has also held senior positions in the executive branch - Deputy Minister of Defence (2001-2008) and Deputy Minister of the Interior (2008-2009). She is a member of the Bulgarian Association of International Law and the Bulgarian Association of European Law. She is the author of articles and books on public law. She was elected as a judge of the Constitutional Court at the General Assembly of Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Administrative Court (2021).
Tanya Raykovska -
judge
Date and place of birth: December 15, 1956, Veliko Tarnovo. Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1978). Trainee judge at the Veliko Tarnovo District Court (May 1979 – May 1980). Legal adviser in Veliko Tarnovo (July 1980 – June 1981). Junior judge at the Veliko Tarnovo District Court (June 1981 – December 1985); judge at the Sofia Regional Court (January 1987 – February 1993); judge at the Sofia City Court (February 1993 – November 1998); judge – Head of the Company Division at the Sofia City Court (November 1998 – June 2001). Judge at the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) (June 2001 – June 2005). Judge at SCC – Head of the first commercial division (June 2005 – March 2012); Acting Deputy Chairperson and Head of the Commercial Division at SCC (March 2012 – May 2012); Deputy Chairperson and Head of the Commercial Division at SCC (May 2012 – November 2014); Acting President of the SCC (November 2014 – February 2015); Deputy Chairperson and Head of the Commercial Division at SCC (February 2015 – November 2015). Specializations in EU Competition Law; human rights and EU law. Participation in various projects: "Comprehensive Review of the Administrative and Commercial Justice Systems in Bulgaria"; "Rapprochement of Bulgarian Company Law with the EU Acquis"; "Modernization of the Commercial Register in Bulgaria"; "Publicity and Efficiency of Insolvency Proceedings", etc. Participation in the working conferences of The European Supreme Commercial Judges Forum, in the International Conference of the Presidents of Supreme Courts in Central and Eastern Europe /questions on the independence of the judiciary and ensuring the rule of law/; participation in various working groups drafting bills related to commercial law. Commercial insolvency lecturer at the National Institute of Justice, part-time lecturer for many years in civil procedure and commercial law at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. Co-author of a collection of insolvency case law. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Jurists. Elected Constitutional Court Justice by the Joint Meeting of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Administrative Court (2015).
Yanaki Stoilov -
judge
Born on September 8, 1958 in Veliko Tarnovo. In 1982 he graduated from the Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. In 1984 he began his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Theory of State and Law. In 1989 he gained a Ph.D. Since 2018 he is a professor of Theory of State and Law at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. From 2019 up to his appointment to the Constitutional Court, he was the Head of the Department of Theory and History of State and Law at the Faculty of Law of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. He also teaches at the Faculty of Law at Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv. Since 2016 he has been an honorary professor at Zhao Tong University in Shanghai. He was elected a Member of Parliament in several national parliaments, including Secretary of the Constitutional Committee in the 7th Grand National Assembly, Chairman of the Committee on Legal Affairs in the 40th National Assembly, Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee in the 42nd National Assembly, Deputy Chairman of the 43rd National Assembly. He was a member of the Bulgarian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe between 2009 and 2017. Minister of Justice in the interim government from May 2021 to October 2021. Appointed Constitutional Court Justice by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria in 2021.