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Sofia, October 13, 2009 -- A nationalist party in Bulgaria has proposed an Amendment to the  Religious Law, in an attempt to limit the freedoms of religious groups different from the State sanctioned Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

The sponsor of the bill, Tzveta Georgieva from the ultra-nationalist party "Ataka" ("Attack" in translation), has denied that the proposed amendment is in direct contradiction to the Bulgarian Constitution. 

But 27 registered denominations and civil organizations have filed a public declaration to the President of Bulgaria, the Speaker of the Parliament, the current Government's Minister of Religious Affairs, the Chairman of all Parliamentary Represented Political Parties, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights and Religious Affairs and the Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria.

In their declaration the organizations express their concern regarding the proposed restrictions for the registration of the religious communities and faiths, as well as the proposed "pre-registration" of the already existing ones. Some of the measures in the new bill are:

• the introduction of a minimum of 5,000 followers.
• the condition of possession of its own temple.
• the location of the building to be at a distance of at least 50 meters from all public schools.

According to the religious communities and organizations the introduction of similar provisions in the present Religious Affairs Act will be in direct contradiction not only to the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria (art. 6, art. 12, art. 13, art. 26, art. 37 and art. 43) but also to a number of international treaties, that have been ratified by Republic of Bulgaria such as the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter referred to as the Convention), the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, the Treaty for Joining of Bulgaria to the European Union as well as other treaties signed by Republic of Bulgaria.
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The voting of similar amendments would lead to restriction of human rights and religious freedom in Bulgarian and violation of European treaties, normative acts and agreements ratified and accepted by Bulgaria, is also said in the Declaration.
 
The Declaration is on behalf of 19 officially registered evangelical denominations and 8 different civil organizations among which: The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, The Association for Protection of the Religious Freedom, The Center for Legal Help - Voice in Bulgaria, Society and Values Association, The Tolerance  Foundation, The Justice Civil Initiative, Freedom for Everyone Civil Initiative at Transformation Foundation.

Source: Apostolic Reformed Church, Sofia, Bulgaria web site: www.apostolos.bg