Bulgaria
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- parliamentary republic
- CONSTITUTION
- July 13, 1991; amended several times, last in 2015
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- civil law; subject to mandatory ICJ jurisdiction
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, National Assembly (Narodno Sobranie)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court of Cassation (composed of a president and about 72 judges organized into criminal, civil, and commercial chambers); Administrative Supreme Court (organized into 2 chambers with various chambers of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court (composed of 12 judges); Courts of Appeal; regional and district courts; administrative courts; military courts
RELIGIONS
Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslims 7.8%, Others (including Catholics, Protestants, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Jews) 1.7%, None 3.7%, Not specified 27.4% (estimate 2011)
From the country
- NOVEMBER 17, 2025BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
BULGARIA DELAYS EXTRADITION OF BEIRUT BLAST SUSPECT PENDING DEATH PENALTY ASSURANCES
A Bulgarian court on November 10, 2025 postponed a hearing on Lebanon’s request to extradite Igor Grechushkin, the Russian-Cypriot ship operator linked to the 2020 Beirut port explosion that killed more than 200 people, pending assurances that he will not
- JANUARY 1, 2020BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- JANUARY 1, 2019BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- DECEMBER 5, 2018BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
BULGARIA EXTRADITES GRAFT SUSPECT TO CHINA
A former Chinese official accused of taking bribes has been extradited from Bulgaria to China in the first such move by an European Union member state, Beijing's top graft buster said on 30 November 2018.
- JANUARY 1, 2018BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- JANUARY 1, 2017BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- JANUARY 1, 2016BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- JANUARY 1, 2015BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- JANUARY 1, 2014BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
- JANUARY 1, 2013BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
DECEMBER 15, 2012BulgariaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: COURT REPLACES BULGARIANS' DEATH SENTENCE WITH LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
The court in Malaysia cancelled the death sentence on Bulgarians Georgi Bakalov and
- JANUARY 1, 2012BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.
The death penalty for all crimes was abolished on December 10, 1998.