Posted by Viktor Kostov, PhD attorney at law
editor in chief of Freedom for All, a web site for the freedoms of religion, conscience and speech
April 25, 2018
This post contains informational links to documents in English, Bulgarian and German related to our initiatives and media participations in regards to voicing opposition to the totalitarian, anticonstitutional and anti- human rights bills introduced by G. Kadiev, MPformerly of BSP and by BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party "Left-wing Bulgaria).
Here are links to the texts of the actual bills, and our critical opinion, in English.
Critical notes to the first of the offending draft laws. (We are currently working on the translation of the second bill which is of the same nature. Keep in mind, however, that the bills are almost identical, being introduced to Mr. Kadiev’s bill will largely give one an idea of the Bulgarian Socialist Party bill, submitted to the Bulgarian Parliament two weeks later).
The text of the first bill, by former socialist MP, G. Kadiev, translated in English (contains a link to the original bill, posted on Bulgarian Parliament's web site).
The text of the second bill, by the MPs from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, translated in English.
You can view the full text of the Protest Declaration of March 18, which enumerates the actual violations of the Bulgarian Constitution and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which would be introduced by the bills. The Declaration was supported by 100 churches, denominations and organizations and over 2000 individuals from Bulgaria, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Serbia and Romania in about 10 days of campaigning.
The following link will take you to a Memorandum by Alliance Defending Freedom meant for the Bulgarian Parliament and expounding on the European law and the European Court of Human Rights precedent on the subject matter:
Bulgarian language documents
Soon after the press conference, on April 2, I debated one of the sponsors of the bill in one of the national televisions (BNT1)
On April 21, 2016, Dnevnik, one of the top Bulgarian news sites (ranked at No. 7 by visits) published my article Why the Limitation of Freedom of Belief and of Human Rights Will Exacerbate the Problem of Terrorism which critiques the antireligious bills (Bulgarian).
A human rights web site Marginalia, on the same day, published a discussion among two other human rights activists and myself under the title Will There Be a Religious Thought-police in Our Country? (Bulgarian).
I also gave an interview for a Swiss Christian web site on the subject (in German) with another Bulgarian co-laborer for freedom of belief.
Below are photos from a seminar with evangelical churches in Russe, held April 22-23, where the Russe Declaration was adopted. It was signed by individuals and representatives of Christian churches and denominations, active in the area. This declaration was based on the analysis that the proposed bills are in clear violation of the ECHR and the Bulgarian Constitution.
