site.btaPACE Committee Proposes Closing Post-Monitoring Dialogue with Bulgaria Due to Improvement in Rule of Law Situation, Democracy and Human Rights

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said its Monitoring Committee has proposed closing the post-monitoring dialogue with Bulgaria and following the developments in the country with regard to the rule of law, democracy and human rights in the framework of its periodic reviews.

Having joined the Council of Europe in 1992, Bulgaria was subject to the full parliamentary monitoring procedure until 2000. By Resolution 1211 (2000), PACE decided to terminate the monitoring and open a post-monitoring dialogue.

The Committee adopted a report by Thórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir (Iceland, SOC) and Deborah Bergamini (Italy, EPP/CD), and commended Bulgaria for having overcome the political crisis and instability (illustrated by five consecutive early parliamentary elections in 2021-2023), and the establishment of a coalition government in June 2023.

"The authorities have been able to assemble the parliamentary majority required for constitutional changes indispensable for the establishment of an independent judiciary and safeguarding sustainability of the reform,” the parliamentarians said. They pointed out that recent constitutional amendments in the field of the judiciary constitute considerable progress in the accomplishment of Bulgaria`s commitments and obligations.

The Committee also welcomed the measures undertaken by the authorities to combat high-level corruption and the adoption of the Anti-Corruption Act in October 2023. It identifies considerable progress achieved with regard to freedom of expression, the protection of journalists and whistleblowers, the combat against violence against women and the fight against hate speech.

The Committee, however, says that "some remaining shortcomings still require remedy, in particular with regard to the integration of the Roma population", and calls on the authorities to continue the ongoing constitutional reform and address other outstanding issues in close cooperation with the Venice Commission.

Finally, the Committee called on the authorities to implement the recommendations of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), and to co-operate with the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to improve the execution of the European Court of Human Rights’ judgements. It says that more than 90 judgments of the Court are awaiting implementation, over 50% of which have been pending for at least ten years.