site.btaAll Three Bills Amending Religious Denominations Act Pass on First Reading

Bulgaria's 240-seat Parliament on Thursday passed all three bills amending the Religious Denominations Act by a large majority.

For the bill tabled by Vazrazhdane, the vote was 140 in favour (GERB-UDF, Vazrazhdane, BSP - United Left, Democracy for Rights and Freedoms - DRF, There Is Such a People (TISP), MECh and one vote from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) and 26 against (MRF - New Beginning).

For the bill entered by GERB-UDF, the vote was 176 in favour (GERB-UDF, Vazrazhdane, MRF - New Beginning, BSP - United Left, Democracy for Rights and Freedoms - DRF, TISP, MECh and four votes from CC-DB) and three abstentions (MECh). 

For the bill submitted by BSP-United Left, the vote was 176 in favour (GERB-UDF, Vazrazhdane, MRF - New Beginning, BSP - United Left, Democracy, Rights and Freedoms - DRF, TISP, MECh and two votes from CC-DB) and one abstention (MECh). 

The pieces of draft legislation were initiated in response to a December 16, 2024 judgment of the Supreme Court of Cassation which entered a religious institution named "Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria" in the register of religious denominations with the Sofia City Court.

Vazrazhdane move that the law be amended to preclude the possibility of registering multiple churches as legal persons using the word "Orthodox" in their name.

The GERB-UDF motion defines the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate as the sole representative of Eastern Orthodox Christianity as Bulgaria's traditional religious denomination. Under the transitional and final provisions, the pending registration proceedings that are contrary to this provision are to be terminated and the effected registrations of such religious denominations are to be expunged by the Sofia City Court, acting on a motion by the Council of Ministers' Directorate of Religious Denominations or a prosecutor.

BSP-United Left proposes a clarification of provisions of the law regarding the registration of religious denominations non-conforming with the Act. In this way, the name "Bulgarian Orthodox Church" will be reserved for that institution.

The only MP to speak when the debate was opened was Hyusein Hafazov MP of MRF - New Beginning, who said that his parliamentary group will back some of the bill. "As a Muslim and a citizen of this country, I oppose a rift in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church," Hafazov said.