Prosecutor Raya Boncheva from the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office participated in the 17th conference of the NADAL network (Network of Prosecutors and Equivalent Institutions attached to the Supreme Courts of the EU Member States), which took place in Brussels, Belgium from May 6 to 8, 2026. The forum was opened by Isabelle De Tandt, Advocate General of the Belgian Court of Cassation.
This year’s event was also attended by Jean-Louis Nadal himself, the former Prosecutor General of France, who founded the NADAL network and after whom it is named. He recalled the idea behind its creation and emphasized the importance of dialogue and cooperation among the Prosecutor’s Offices of EU member states. At the suggestion of the forum’s host, Ria Mortier—Belgium’s Prosecutor General - Jean-Louis Nadal was honored with an award for strengthening cooperation among European countries in the field of criminal law.
The first working session was titled “Between Tradition and the Future: The Rule of Law Under Pressure.” Participants from all member states agreed that prosecutors must be free from any undue pressure and must perform their duties independently in accordance with the laws provided for in their national legal systems, as this strengthens the foundations of the rule of law.
The second working session was moderated by French Prosecutor General Rémy Heitz. His German counterpart, Jens Rommel, spoke about the expectations placed on prosecutors and how they should be met. All participants agreed that the rule of law “must be fought for every day, all together.”
The President of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Koen Lenaerts, also delivered a speech in which he emphasized the paramount importance of the independence of prosecutors.
During the third working session on “The Role of the NADAL Network in Strengthening the Rule of Law,” it was emphasized that the network is constantly expanding, and this year it launched its official website - npg-nadal.eu.
In addition to Prosecutor Generals from EU member states, the conference was attended by representatives of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the European Commission, the President of Eurojust, representatives of the European Judicial Training Network, and the International Association of Prosecutors.
Finland will host the NADAL network conference in 2027, and France’s bid for 2028 has been approved.