37 Facts About Ivan Geshev

Ivan Stoimenov Geshev is a Bulgarian jurist who served as Bulgaria's Chief Public Prosecutor from 26 November 2019 until his dismissal on 15 June 2023.

Ivan Geshev was the only candidate proposed to succeed Sotir Tsatsarov as Chief Public Prosecutor of Bulgaria in 2019, which triggered controversy and public protests against his candidacy.

Ivan Geshev was appointed to the position by Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council in late 2019, but his election was initially vetoed by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.

Ivan Geshev graduated from the Academy of the Ministry of Interior, in Sofia.

Ivan Geshev worked as an investigator before becoming a regular prosecutor in 2006.

From 17 April 2006 to 11 May 2012 Ivan Geshev worked as a Prosecutor at Sofia Regional Prosecutor's Office having reached the higher rank of "Prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office of Appeal" and was promoted to the rank of "Prosecutor at the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office and Supreme Administrative Prosecutor's Office".

Ivan Geshev was given a certificate for restricting the distribution and use of drugs, prostitution, child pornography, corruption, terrorism and expressed support for causes to the benefit of society, for the formation of humane models of behavior in the younger generation.

Ivan Geshev received a certificate and plaque "Giovanni Falcone" from the competition "A cowards die many times, a brave man dies only once", issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Italy and the Municipality of Blagoevgrad.

Ivan Geshev received a Europol Certificate for a successful operation conducted on 4th October 2016 in Plovdiv for dismantling an illegal printing house for the production of Euro banknotes.

From 19 July 2016 to 16 July 2018, Ivan Geshev was Head of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office.

From 16 July 2018 until 18 December 2019, Ivan Geshev served as Deputy Prosecutor General at the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office.

Ivan Geshev was supported by twenty members of the council while four voted against him.

Ivan Geshev was nominated for Prosecutor General by all eleven members of the Prosecutors' Chamber of the Supreme Judicial Council on 22 July, including by the then Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov, whose term expired in January 2020.

Ivan Geshev will prosecute people who are inconvenient for him.

Prominent civil society members and NGOs, including the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, asserted that Ivan Geshev lacked the professional and moral qualities which are required for the position because of his record of abusing the law and human rights.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev refused to sign the decree formally inaugurating Ivan Geshev, remarking that his candidacy had been backed only by government-controlled institutions and that no other alternative was provided.

Ivan Geshev called on the judicial council to revise their decision.

Shortly before taking office, Ivan Geshev cancelled a meeting with Bulgarian opposition leader Korneliya Ninova, after the latter announced that she would provide additional information to Ivan Geshev regarding a water availability crisis affecting Pernik.

Ivan Geshev accused Ninova of using the institution for "political gains".

Sarafov issued a statement, in which he accused Ivan Geshev of meddling in the investigation of the assassination attempt and pushing the prosecutor's office in the field of politics.

Sarafov later claimed that Ivan Geshev used his influence to steer key investigations for the purpose of blackmailing political figures, further saying he felt his life was threatened and requested to be provided with personal bodyguards.

Ivan Geshev claimed that one month prior he was offered the position of ambassador to Turkey or Israel in return for his resignation, which he was told came from Boyko Borisov.

Ivan Geshev ceremonially tore his resignation, saying that he will finish his term despite the recent events, and that "the people shall sweep the political trash from the Parliament".

The PP-DB coalition called for Sarafov's resignation, stating that "Bulgaria needs a real judicial reform, and the replacement of Ivan Geshev with Sarafov is a farce, not a reform".

In 2017, Ivan Geshev indicted Vassilev and 17 other people for leading an organized criminal group, which allegedly drained the bank.

Ivan Geshev compared writing the indictment to "landing on the Moon with a diesel engine".

When commentators wondered why Peevski was not questioned during the investigation, Ivan Geshev said that Putin and Obama were not questioned either.

Ivan Geshev said this was a "classic case of recruitment by ISIS which lasted for up to a year" and this was "the first case of prevention of a terror attack" in Bulgaria.

Ivan Geshev stated parents had to be vigilant because children get radicalized through the Internet.

However, Ivan Geshev announced that the main lead on which they work is "cyber racketeering" and "a conspiracy against the state".

Ivan Geshev said the prosecution found "horrifying things" on the security worker's computer: he was searching for information about Delyan Peevski, Boyko Borisov and Sotir Tsatsarov.

Ivan Geshev said the three conspired to hack the sprinkler system of the gardens of the Bulgarian Parliament, to spray the cars of guests, and to induce panic among the general population in order to destabilize the whole political system.

The tenure of Ivan Geshev has been accompanied by a lack of litigation against the most prominent elite of the Bulgarian political class, with allegations of complicity in the state capture of Bulgaria, as well as an obduracity in hindering judicial reforms to tackle the rampant corruption in Bulgaria, levied against him by opposing political parties such as We Continue the Change.

Ivan Geshev has been viewed as a key figure in the perpetuation of the model of corruption on Bulgaria by his opponents, allegedly serving to overlook offences perpetrated by executive figures in government, among whom most prominently was Boyko Borisov.

Shortly after his removal as Chief Prosecutor, Ivan Geshev announced the formation of a civic movement "Just Bulgaria" which was seen as a precursor for the formation of a political party.

Ivan Geshev has two daughters with his partner Detelina Hancheva.

In 2019, media reported that Detelina Hancheva had common business interests with the key witness in the Mladost case in which Ivan Geshev was the main prosecutor.