Prime Minister Urges Unity Amid Bulgarian Orthodox Church Dispute

Bulgaria 9 January 2025 18:00

Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev addressed the National Assembly on Thursday, emphasizing that resolving the issue of two registered Orthodox churches in Bulgaria falls under the Assembly's jurisdiction. He called for a solution grounded in the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers, CE Report quotes BTA

The discussion focused on a December 16 court decision to register the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria (OCOCB), a move seen by some as a threat to the unity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC).

"The position of the Council of Ministers remains unchanged. There is one indivisible Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and its unity is crucial to our society," Glavchev stated, encouraging MPs to work on legislative improvements to safeguard this unity.

He also highlighted a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which found that Bulgaria's initial refusal to register the OCOCB violated the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. The ECHR's decision pointed to broader issues with religious freedom in Bulgaria, which had led to previous convictions against the state.

Tags

Bulgaria's Energy Ministry Proposes New Measures to Prevent Winter Power Outages

9 January 23:55

The Bulgarian Energy Ministry has introduced legislative revisions aimed at reducing power outages during winter caused by severe weather conditions. Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov announced the initiative during a meeting with the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria, following widespread outages in late 2024.

Lawmakers Advance Judicial Reform with Three Bills in First Reading

9 January 14:00

Lawmakers passed three judicial reform bills in a first reading on Wednesday. Two of the bills, proposed by Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) and There Is Such a People (TISP), received unanimous support, while Vazrazhdane’s bill passed with 193 votes in favor and 28 against.

Treasures from Ancient Thrace Safeguarded Amid Los Angeles Fires

8 January 22:30

The exhibition "Ancient Thrace and the Classical World: Treasures from Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece" at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles remains secure despite fires in the area, according to Bulgaria's Ministry of Culture.

GERB Continues Government Negotiations, Confirms PM Candidate

8 January 16:00

The GERB-UDF coalition announced that its Executive Committee has instructed the party’s negotiation team to continue discussions with BSP-United Left and There Is Such a People (TISP) to establish a regular government.

Bulgaria's Budget Committee Approves Interim Finance Bill for 2025

8 January 11:00

The Budget and Finance Committee of Bulgaria's 51st National Assembly unanimously approved a draft law on Tuesday to address the public finance gap until the passage of the three main budget laws for 2025.

Parliamentary Committee Rejects VAT Amendments on Bread, Flour, and Medication

7 January 23:55

The Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance has rejected proposed amendments to the VAT Act, submitted by BSP - United Left Co-Floor Leader Atanas Zapryanov and other MPs, which aimed to maintain a 0% VAT rate on bread and flour until the end of 2025. The proposal garnered 9 votes in favor, with no opposition but 11 abstentions.

GERB-UDF's Rosen Zhelyazkov Comments on Government Talks Amid Parliamentary Tensions

7 January 21:00

Rosen Zhelyazkov, MP from GERB-UDF, addressed reporters Tuesday regarding ongoing government formation talks, stating, "We will continue in plenary because today we have a lot of work to do."

Exhibition Showcases Eight Years of Student Metal Art from NAA

7 January 13:45

An exhibition featuring the finest metal artworks created by students of the National Academy of Art (NAA) over the past eight years has opened at Sofia's Academia Gallery.

President Radev Urges Responsibility Amid Bulgaria’s Political Crisis

6 January 23:00

President Rumen Radev called on political parties to prioritize the nation's stability over partisan interests as Bulgaria faces challenges in forming a government.

Bulgarian Government Plans Measures on Electricity and Tourism Development

6 January 18:00

The caretaker government of Bulgaria has announced plans to review contracts with electricity distribution companies, enhance control over them, and assess the national electricity transmission system.

Negotiations for Forming Bulgarian Government Collapse

6 January 10:00

No agreement was reached on the composition of a future government or the name of a prime minister candidate during Sunday’s negotiations between GERB-UDF, Democratic Bulgaria (DB), BSP-United Left, and There Is Such a People (TISP) in the National Assembly, according to a GERB-UDF press release.

Good Conditions for Winter Tourism in Bulgarian Mountains Despite Avalanche Danger

5 January 17:00

The Bulgarian mountains are offering favorable conditions for winter tourism this Sunday, according to the Mountain Rescue Service of the Bulgarian Red Cross.