Bulgaria is a European country. Ethnically 84% are Bulgarian. The
official language is Bulgarian. 61% Christians, 59% of the total
population beleive Bulgarian Orthodox. 9% do not believe in any
religion. 21% did not give any information about their religious
identity to the government. Covering an area of 1,10,993 sq km, the
state has a population of about 68,75,000.
The constitutions of
the various countries of the world says, "No one shall be discriminated
against on the grounds of religion, color, language, sex, etc." But
Bulgaria's constitution adds another step, stating that "There shall be
no privileges or restriction of rights on the grounds of ......". There
is mention of state sovereignty over all underground resources, radio
frequencies, orbiting satellites.
Weapons manufacturers are
behind almost every war and instability in the world. How will arms be
sold if there is no war or tension between the two countries? Bulgaria, a
European country, has nationalized the production of weapons by
pointing the finger at these thugs.
Children born in of wedlock or out of wedlock - both have equal status in Bulgaria.
These are positive aspects. Now let's discuss the negative aspects.
There is a big inconsistency. The first sub-article of Article 13 of the
Constitution states, "The practicing of any religion shall be
unrestricted." What does it mean? Suppose a religion mentions that it is
legal to kill a wife alive if the husband dies, will it be recognized
in Bulgaria as a religious provision? In the past, Hindus in India used
to do this during the British colonial era, but later, as a result of
Ram Mohan Roy's movement, the British government outlawed it by enacting
law. There should have been a condition with the sentence, "If any
provision of a religion is in conflict or inconsistent with the
constitution, then that specific provision of religion will be
considered void and the constitution will be considered final."
The third clause of the same article of the Bulgarian constitution
states, "Eastern Orthodox Christianity shall be considered the
traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria." Both secularism and
state religion stand side by side.
Admirable Articles of Bulgaria's Constitution
Article 5 (Part of it)
1. The Constitution shall be the supreme law, and no other law shall contravene it.
2. The provisions of the Constitution shall apply directly.
Article 6
1. All persons are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
2. All citizens shall be equal before the law. There shall be no privileges or restriction of rights on the grounds of race, national or social origin, ethnic self-identity, sex, religion, education, opinion, political affiliation, personal or social status or property status.
Article 18
1. The State shall enjoy exclusive ownership rights over the underground resources; beaches and national thoroughfares, as well as over waters, forests and parks of national importance, and the natural and archaeological reserves established by law.
2. The State shall exercise sovereign rights in prospecting, developing, utilizing, protecting and managing the continental shelf and the exclusive off-shore economic zone, and the biological, mineral and energy resources therein.
3. The State shall exercise sovereign rights with respect to radio frequency spectrum and the geostationary orbital positions allocated by international agreements to the Republic of Bulgaria.
4. A state monopoly shall be establishable by law over railway transport, the national postal and telecommunications networks, the use of nuclear energy, the manufacturing of radioactive products, armaments and explosive and powerful toxic substances.
5. The conditions and procedure by which the State shall grant concessions over units of property and licences for the activities enumerated in the preceding two paragraphs shall be established by law.
6. The State shall utilize and manage all the state's assets to the benefit of individual and society.
Article 19
1. The economy of the Republic of Bulgaria shall be based on free economic initiative.
2. The State shall establish and guarantee equal legal conditions for economic activity to all citizens and legal entities by preventing any abuse of a monopoly status and unfair competition, and by protecting the consumer.
3. All investments and economic activity by citizens and legal entities shall enjoy the protection of the law.
4. The law shall establish conditions conducive to the setting up of cooperatives and other forms of association of citizens and legal entities in the pursuit of economic and social prosperity.
Article 21
1. Land, as a chief national asset, shall enjoy particular protection on the part of the State and society.
2. Arable land shall be used for agricultural purposes only. Any change in purposes shall be allowed only in exceptional circumstances, when necessity has been proven, and on terms and by a procedure established by a law.
Article 30
1. Everyone shall be entitled to personal freedom and inviolability.
2. No one shall be detained or subjected to inspection, search or any other infringement of his personal inviolability except on the conditions and in a manner established by law.
3. The State authorities shall be free to detain citizens only in the urgent circumstances expressly stipulated by law, and shall immediately advise the judicial authorities accordingly. The judicial authorities shall rule on the legality of a detention within the next 24 hours.
4. Everyone shall be entitled to legal counsel from the moment of detention or from the moment of being charged.
5. Everyone shall be entitled to meet his legal counsel in private. The confidentiality of such communication shall be inviolable.
Article 34
1. The freedom and confidentiality of correspondence and all other communications shall be inviolable.
2. Exceptions to this provision shall be allowed only with the permission of the judicial authorities for the purpose of discovering or preventing a grave crime.
Article 43
1. All citizens shall have the right to peaceful and unarmed assembly for meetings and demonstrations.
2. The procedure for the organizing and holding of meetings and demonstrations shall be established by law.
3. No notice to the municipal authorities shall be required for meetings held indoors.
Article 46
1. Matrimony shall be a free union between a man and a woman. Only a civil marriage shall be legal.
2. Spouses shall have equal rights and obligations in matrimony and the family.
3. The form of a marriage, the conditions and procedure for its conclusion and termination, and all private and material relations between the spouses shall be established by law.
Article 47
1. The raising and upbringing of children until they come of legal age shall be a right and obligation of their parents and shall be assisted by the State.
2. Mothers shall be the object of special protection on the part of the State and shall be guaranteed prenatal and postnatal leave, free obstetric care, alleviated working conditions and other social assistance.
3. Children born out of wedlock shall enjoy equal rights with those born in wedlock.
4. Abandoned children shall enjoy the protection of the State and society.
5. The conditions and procedure for the restriction or suspension of parental rights shall be established by law.
Facts of Bulgaria's Constitution
Article 13
1. The practicing of any religion shall be unrestricted.
2. Religious institutions shall be separate from the State.
3. Eastern Orthodox Christianity shall be considered the traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria.
4. Religious institutions and communities, and religious beliefs shall not be used to political ends.
