Background
Bulgaria continued to experience water shortages, forest fires and inadequate infrastructure, resulting in casualties and severe property damage. Mass anti-corruption protests in December led to the resignation of the government.
Freedom of expression
In July, the Supreme Court of Cassation found news outlet Mediapool and investigative journalist Boris Mitov guilty of defaming a judge and ordered them to pay BGN 43,000 (EUR 20,000) in damages and legal fees over articles published in 2018. Reporters Without Borders called this a “clear case of strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) aimed at silencing journalists”.
In September, NGO Media Freedom Rapid Response and others warned that a combination of political and economic interference, threats, vexatious lawsuits and precarious working conditions threatened independent journalism.
In October, members of the ruling coalition introduced draft legislation proposing prison sentences and fines for journalists who disseminated information about an individual’s “personal life” without consent. It also allowed for the use of wiretapping and surveillance – normally reserved for serious crimes – for investigating these new offences. Following strong public criticism, the proposal was withdrawn.
Freedom of association
Civil society organizations faced a hostile environment and frequent smear campaigns.1 In February, the pro-Russia party Revival submitted the so-called Foreign Agents Bill for the fifth time in two years. The bill would prohibit foreign-funded organizations from carrying out activities in educational and public institutions.
New parliamentary initiatives sought to establish a commission to investigate individuals and organizations receiving assistance from the foundations of George and Alexander Soros, stating that they created conditions for overt and covert influence over public, political and economic processes in the country.
The proposals were rejected by parliament, but civil society groups warned that these initiatives continued to threaten freedom of association and civic participation.
Gender-based violence
Gender-based violence persisted and there was no progress on establishing a centralized database to record such cases. In November, the Council of Ministers decided to establish the Coordination Mechanism for Assistance and Support to Victims of Domestic Violence.
In August, a court in the city of Plovdiv released on bail a man who had been on trial since 2023 for a knife attack against his 18-year-old girlfriend, which left her with severe injuries. In October, the case was resumed behind closed doors.
Women’s rights organizations reported at least 24 femicides in the context of domestic violence. The Ministry of Interior confirmed a steady upward trend in reported cases.
Children’s rights
The ombudsperson and UNICEF Bulgaria reported cases of violence including beatings and sexual abuse of children in boarding schools, highlighting inadequate oversight by authorities. The findings exposed deep flaws in child protection systems and lack of accountability for perpetrators. Despite repeated recommendations, the government failed to adopt effective monitoring or rehabilitation measures.
Discrimination
Roma continued to face discrimination in all spheres of life, including housing, education, employment and health. In April, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights raised concerns over forced evictions of Roma families in the capital Sofia, which left families sleeping in tents for months without an adequate alternative.2
LGBTI people’s rights
In February, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance said that Bulgaria had not taken steps to combat discrimination against LGBTI people, including developing a national strategy to address intolerance towards the community. Draft amendments to the Child Protection Act, proposing a ban on accessing and disseminating information relating to gender identity and expression, were still pending adoption in December. Civil society groups warned that the proposal further marginalized LGBTI youth and educators, and the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights recalled that the European Court of Human Rights had previously found such legislation “harmful and incompatible with the notions of equality, pluralism and tolerance”.
Rights of people with disabilities
In February, the ombudsperson warned that the reduced funding and capacity of social services threatened to leave people with disabilities without essential care at home.
In April, the Stara Zagora District Court found that a woman with pyscho-social disabilities had been subjected to forced psychiatric institutionalization and other measures violating her dignity and autonomy, and awarded her BGN 15,000 (EUR 7,000) in damages. Civil society groups welcomed the “landmark” ruling.
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
In June, authorities discovered two private homes for older people in Stara Zagora operating illegally and where people were found restrained, sedated and kept in inhumane conditions. Media reports dubbed them “houses of horrors”, prompting investigations into systemic failures of the social care and inspection systems. The ombudsperson called for reforms and better monitoring of private facilities for older people, criticizing severe neglect and exploitation of older people.
Refugees’ and migrants’ rights
In January, three children of Egyptian nationality died after being denied rescue assistance near the Turkish border. The case reignited scrutiny of alleged pushbacks and the lack of accountability of border police. Human rights groups called for independent investigations and compliance with EU asylum law.
Right to health
In February, the European Committee of Social Rights found that Bulgaria’s Covid-19 vaccination plan in 2020, which deprioritized older and chronically ill people, violated the rights to health and to be free from discrimination under the European Social Charter.
Right to water
In August, several regions were affected by water shortages, leaving residents with less than three hours of running water per day. Environmental organizations expressed serious concerns regarding the weak enforcement of EU environmental standards and lack of transparency in risk management policies.
