Constitutional Court: The Istanbul Convention is contrary to the Constitution

On Friday, July 27 this year, the Bulgarian Constitutional Court ruled on the case if the Istanbul Convention as an international act is contrary to the basic act in Bulgaria - the Constitution.

According to the decision of the Constitutional Court on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention is not in compliance with the basic law in Bulgaria. Four of the judges voted with a “reservation” while according to the other eight the Convention is contrary to the Constitution.

The case on whether the Istanbul Convention is contrary to the basic law of Bulgaria was initiated in March this year. Then the request for opinion of the Constitutional Court on this issue was signed by 75 MPs from GERB. Since the beginning of the year the topic for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention has become extremely commented and a main focus of the social networks, media and among the society, which divided into two by their opinions.

We would like to recall that during January his year the Muslim Denomination also issued an official statement on this issue. “The Istanbul convention is not a privilege to the Bulgarian Muslims. It involves risks to their identity where under the form of preventing violence against women it targets the sustainability of our families.” – was just a part of the official position of the Muslim Denomination in Bulgaria.

Author: L. Chausheva