Vigenin called for the powers of the European Public Prosecutor's Office to be extended

“In Bulgaria, the creation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office was welcomed with the hope that it would strengthen the rule of law and anti-corruption efforts.” This was stated by Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats during the hearing of Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne,in the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). The hearing was dedicated to the priorities of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the period July – December 2026.

The start of the Irish Presidency

Vigenin noted that the Irish Presidency begins at a very importantmoment for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. On 1 November, the new European Chief Prosecutor, Andres Ritter, will take office, Hungary has already announced its intention to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the European Commission is preparing a review of the regulation governing the institution’s work.

At the start of his speech, the MEP wished the Irish Presidency success: “I have a soft spot for your Presidency, because the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council eight years ago was held under a similar motto: ‘Unity makes strength’. I hope you will manage to bring the Union together.”

The role of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office

Kristian Vigenin asked how the Irish Presidency sees the future development of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, given its growing workload and the increasingly close link between fraud against the EU budget, organised crime, money laundering and sanctions evasion. “Would the Presidency support a review of whether its mandate, powers and resources still match the objectives set, including considering the possibility of extending its competence to clearly defined forms of serious cross-border crime?” he asked.

According to Kristian Vigenin, the upcoming review of the regulation is an opportunity for the European Union to assess whether the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has the powers and resources it needs to respond to the new challenges of cross-border crime, financial fraud and protecting the EU budget.