The Bulgarian Parliament has conclusively adopted revisions to the Religious Denominations Act, officially recognizing the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate as the sole representative of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in the country.
The legislation was passed with overwhelming support, as 186 MPs in the 240-seat parliament voted in favor. The bill received backing from all parliamentary groups, with only one MP from Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria voting against it.
Response to Supreme Court Ruling
The amendment was prompted by a December 16, 2024 ruling of the Supreme Court of Cassation, which allowed the registration of a religious institution named “Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria” in the official register of religious denominations under the Sofia City Court.
Under the newly adopted provisions, any pending registration proceedings that contradict this law will be terminated, and any previously approved registrations of such religious denominations will be expunged by the Sofia City Court. This will be carried out upon request from the Council of Ministers’ Directorate of Religious Denominations or a prosecutor.
Ban on “Orthodox” in New Denominations
The legislation prohibits the registration of any new religious denomination that includes the word “Orthodox” or related terms in its name. This provision was supported by 173 MPs, while 11 MPs from the Morale, Unity, Honour party (MECh) abstained.
Within two months of the law’s enactment, any existing or pending registrations must change their name in compliance with the new regulations. Registrations that fail to do so will be terminated by the Sofia City Court.
Source: BTA
