History of democracy in Bulgaria

1. Bulgaria - its path
to change

2. The fall of the
Iron Curtain
T O P I C 1

3. The Bulgarian outbreak after
the falling of the Berlin Wall
• On November 3, 1989, a procession to the Parliament
was held in Sofia, organized by Ecoglasnost, later
called the "First Democratic Rally".
• On November 10, 1989 Bulgaria's communist leader
Todor Zhivkov was ousted from the Politburo, the
Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party
• Mass protests in Bulgaria were organized November-
December 1989

4. From centralized
government to democracy
• Bulgarian people wanted the removal of the First Article of the National
Constitution, which provides the leading role of the Bulgarian Communist
Party.
• A National Round Table for Political Consultations was summoned from
January 3 to May 14, 1990.
• The main results are the abolition of Article 1st of the old constitution, the
dissolution of the political police, the depolitisation of the army, police,
court, prosecutor's office and diplomacy, the dissolution of BCP
organizations.
• The State Council was cancelled and a presidential institution was
established in its place.

5. The new changes
made
• Decision was taken to convene the 7th Grand
National Assembly to draft a new Constitution.
• The previous totalitarian system with ubiquitous
BCP domination has been successfully replaced by
a system of political pluralism.
• The New Constitution and a number of laws have
been adopted.
• EU and NATO membership has been achieved. The
Bulgarian economy has been moved from
centralized state planning system to market
economy based on private property.

6. Building the
new
constitution
T O P I C 2

7. The consitution from
1991 – current
constitution
• The current constitution in Bulgaria dates
back to 1991.
• According to it, only the Grand National
Assembly can adopt a new constitution.
• However, the current constitution can also
be changed by an ordinary National
Assembly with a majority of 3/4 of all MPs
(members of the Parliament).

8. Acceptance of the new
constitution
• A project of the new Constitution is being drafted.
• The President schedules elections for the Supreme
National Assembly within 3 months after a decision of the
National Assembly.
• The Supreme National Assembly adopts the new
Constitution by a two-thirds majority of all MPs in three
votes on different days, and the decision of the Supreme
National Assembly is promulgated (declared) within 7
days.
• The president then dissolves the Supreme National
Assembly and schedules elections for an ordinary National
Assembly.

9. New democtaric
rights
• Among the civil liberties, the most
important thing is to provide freedom of
speech, association, access to information,
etc.
• Important civil liberties are also freedom of
religious choice, freedom of movement,
etc.
• The protection of civil liberties is an
average response to liberal democracies.

10. Separation of
the authorities
• There are three types of authorities: legislative, executive and
judicial.
• The council of ministers is the main body of the executive
power in the republic of Bulgaria. It directs and carries out the
domestic and foreign policy of the country.
• The national assembly executes legislative power in the
country and the parliamentary control. The national assembly
is responsible for the adoption of laws.
• The judiciary covers the courts, the prosecution and the
investigative bodies. None of the legislative or executive
bodies can influence the activity of the judiciary, as it is
independent.

11. The first free
media
T O P I C 3

12. The first Bulgarian
periodical press
• The first Bulgarian periodical is the magazine
"Lyuboslovie", 1844.
• Two years later, in 1846, Ivan Bogorov published in
Leipzig (Germany) the first Bulgarian newspaper
"Bulgarian Eagle".
• During the Revival throught the press the Bulgarian people
made efforts to rebirth spiritual and material life.
• After the Liberation, the freedom of the press in Bulgaria
was guaranteed by the Tarnovo Constitution of 1879.

13. Restictions on the press
• At the end of 1944, a decision was made
to suspend all newspapers except the
government
• In 1947, through the liquidation of private
property and the seizure of printing
houses and publishing houses, freedom
of speech in Bulgaria ended.

14. The Bulgarian media after the fall of the totalitarian
regime
• With the new constitution from 1991 the right of
freedom of speech was guaranteed
• But still the Bulgarian media are free, but not
independent.
• According to data from RSF, even after joining the EU,
Bulgaria is at 111/180 place in the World Press
Freedom ranking 2020
• Economic and political pressures also have a direct
impact on the daily work of journalists.

15. The change in
people's lives
T O P I C 4

16. Political life after 1989
• In June 1990 the first free elections since 1931 were held, won
by the Communist Party
• In July 1991 a new Constitution was adopted, in which the
system of government was fixed as parliamentary republic
• Massive unemployment
• Over 800,000 Bulgarians emigrated in a "brain drain".
• The political and economic system after 1989 virtually failed to
improve both the living standards and create economic growth.

17. Changes in people's lifestyle
• Development and rise of the standard of living of
Bulgarians
• The advent of modern telephones, multiple television
media and devices, freedom of speech and the protection
of human rights for all citizens are just some of the new
changes.
• Opening of the borders, opportunity to travel freely
• Import and export of food products increases.

18. The new Bulgarian
education system
• The educational system in Bulgaria is
changing after 1989.
• Education becomes compulsory for
every citizen aged 7 to 16 years old.
• In 2000 there was a drastic decline in
the quality of education in Bulgaria
which is still a present problem in
2021.

19. Bulgaria's path
to the European
Union
T O P I C 5

20. Bulgaria –
Europe's
longest time
lover
• The year 1989 is of existential importance for Bulgaria. Her
life is divided from the same year into "before 89" and "after
89". The subject of Bulgaria's adoration before 1989 was
Russia, and then her love was named Europe.
• In 1989, when Bulgaria threw away her bitter love for Russia,
her senses trembled in memory of the sweetness of her old
mistress Europe. Thus, in 1990, Bulgaria took the path to her
heart and after nearly two decades spent hoping to be loved,
she managed to conquer it in 2007 and became part of the
colorful soul of Europe.

21. 17 years of chess
• Bulgarian European integration is a game
of chess that lasted seventeen years.
• The chess match was opened by the
Bulgarian mathematician Lyubomir Ivanov,
thanks to whom the Seventh
Great National Assembly of the Republic of
Bulgaria adopted a decision on the
country's desire to become a full-fledged
member of the European Communities.

22. Chess and checkmate -
Signing of the Treaty of
Accession of Bulgaria
• In the following years, from 1990 until 2007, Bulgaria played its moves.
• Her mastery was awarded by Europe with the Treaty of Accession of
Bulgaria to the EU.
• The act was supported by a majority in 2005 by the European Parliament,
with its vote of 522 voting "for".
• The act came into force on April 25th at a ceremony in Luxembourg,
where Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, Prime Minister Simeon
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Foreign Minister Solomon Passy and European
Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva signed the Accession Treaty.
• On January 1, 2007, the Bulgarian force became part of the European
Union.

23. Victory for Bulgaria!
• Europe manages to change Bulgaria and make it a better version
• Being part of the borders of the European Union means absolute
freedom for Bulgaria.
• For Bulgaria, the borders of the European Union are vast, through
which people, goods and capital move freely.
• For Bulgaria, Europe is not just love, it is growth. It is secular life,
absolute access to European civilization and the culture on which the
world exists.
• For Bulgaria, Europe means freedom in economic and humanitarian
terms.
• Europe is unconditional love and infinite freedom.

24. Bulgaria after
joining the
European Union
T O P I C 6

25. Demographics
• Social reforms
• More humane and adequate conditions
for disadvantaged people and children
• More democracy and freedom of speech

26. Economics
• Infrastructure
• More secure markets in the EU
• Proper climate for foreign investors
• Tourism

27. Quality of life
Cultural events More pleasant
surroundings