BFU Brought Together the Leading Experts in Criminal Law in Burgas

Burgas Free University once again became a focal point for the legal community by hosting a specialized training in criminal law and procedure. The event was organized at the initiative of the Burgas Court of Appeal, in cooperation with the National Institute of Justice and with the support of the Center for Legal Studies (CLS) at BFU, with a leading role in the organization played by its Dean, Prof. Dr. Maria Neikova.

The training was opened by the President of the Burgas Court of Appeal, Judge Plamen Sinkov, who welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of professional meetings for the development of judicial practice. On behalf of the university, greetings were delivered by Prof. Dr. Sc. Maria Neikova – Dean of the Faculty of Law, and Prof. Prof. Dr. Sc.. Maria Alexieva – Vice-Rector of BFU. They highlighted the need for active institutional dialogue and the exchange of expertise between academia and practicing legal professionals.

The lecturers at the training were distinguished representatives of the supreme judiciary – Judge Lada Paunova, Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Cassation and Head of the Criminal Division, and Judge Krasimir Shekerdzhiev of the SCC. The modules focused on recent amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as on the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding preliminary rulings – topics with direct relevance to the daily work of magistrates.

Judge Lada Paunova expressed her satisfaction with the opportunity for the regional professional community to discuss key issues of criminal law in an open and expert setting. Among the participants were Yovita Grigorova – Deputy Administrative Head of the Burgas Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, as well as the Presidents of the District Courts in Burgas, Sliven, and Yambol – Daniel Markov, Hristina Mareva, and Pepa Chilikova.

BFU was represented by Prof. Dr. Maria Neikova, Prof. Dr. Maria Alexieva, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Slavka Dimitrova – Deputy Dean of CLS, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Pavlov – Program Coordinator at CLS, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boyan Georgiev.

The training brought together representatives of all levels of the regional judicial system – judges from appellate, district, and regional courts, prosecutors, investigators, police investigators, attorneys, judicial assistants, and students.

With this initiative, Burgas Free University reaffirmed its position as a leading academic center that successfully bridges theory and practice, provides a platform for professional dialogue, and supports the development of the legal community in Southeastern Bulgaria.