News

18 July 2025

With 123 votes in favour, 92 against and 5 abstentions, MPs elected Velislava Delcheva as the new Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria. She was supported by the votes of GERB-SDS, BSP-United Left, ITN, DPS-New Beginning, and four independent MPs.

"I would like to thank you for the support you have given me today, as I am aware that I have a serious task ahead of me to live up to the high expectations and the trust placed in me. I will not make any promises because I know that there is a lot of work ahead, and it requires action, not words," said the new Ombudsman.

Delcheva stated that she was taking the oath with a clear understanding of the responsibility she was assuming not only before the members of parliament but above all before the Bulgarian people, and emphasized that the institution was of enormous importance.

 "It has been 20 years since the first Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria was elected, and the work of the previous four Ombudsmen has contributed to citizens recognizing the institution as a true defender of their interests and rights. This will continue to be the case in the future," promised Velislava Delcheva.

She was adamant that the Institution's agenda would continue to be determined by citizens and that protecting them against violations and unlawful infringements of their rights would be a priority in the Ombudsman's work.

"Not only will I raise the alarm when rights are violated, but I hope that together with you we will find solutions to the problems," the Ombudsman told the members of parliament.

Velislava Delcheva emphasized that she would rely on good cooperation with the National Assembly and good dialogue with the executive and local authorities, because every neglected recommendation would mean a neglected and ignored call for help, and this was not the role of institutions in a democratic society.

 "I will be pro-active and persistent as much as necessary to raise the alarm about all pressing issues and ensure that the latest case or bug in the system is fixed," Velislava Delcheva added, committing herself to working to protect the fundamental rights of citizens in line with all European and international standards.

Delcheva emphasized she firmly believed that "human rights are a supreme value, and their implementation is not and should not be a superficial imitation."