Constitutional Court

Tensions flared outside the Constitutional Court as demonstrators from the pro-Russian party "Vazrazhdane" gathered to protest the court's pending decision on their appeal for a referendum to preserve the Bulgarian lev. The protest, characterized by clashes and disruptions, saw demonstrators pelting the courthouse with eggs and obstructing traffic, with one car set ablaze.

After seven months of deliberation, the Constitutional Court is set to announce its decision on the rejection of a referendum proposal aimed at limiting the introduction of the euro before 2043.

Ecuador decriminalized euthanasia on Wednesday, becoming the second Latin American country to allow the procedure, in response to a lawsuit brought by a terminally ill patient.

With seven of its nine judges voting in favor, the country's Constitutional Court opened the door for doctors to help an untreatable patient die without going to jail.

The parliament has stripped imprisoned Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP) lawmaker Can Atalay of his parliamentary status, defying a ruling by the top court last September.

The decision by the Court of Appeals to unseat Atalay, who was elected to the parliament in last May's election while in prison, was read in the parliament on Jan. 30.

With a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court entering into force on Jan. 28, married women are now able to use their maiden surname without resorting to court proceedings.

In a united effort, opposition parties, including the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), There Is Such a People (TISP), and Vazrazhdane (Revival), have jointly filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court disputing the election of new constitutional judges.

In a recent parliamentary session, two new judges, Desislava Atanasova and Borislav Belazelkov, secured their positions on the Constitutional Court, representing the legislature's quota. Atanasova, the former floor leader of GERB-SDS, earned her nomination from the party, while Belazelkov was put forward by We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has called for the establishment of a "calm line" extending up to 60 kilometers along Türkiye's border with Iraq in the wake of the recent PKK attacks in the region that claimed the lives of 12 Turkish troops.

The Constitutional Court has annulled the article that allowed blocking access to online news and removing content on the grounds of violation of personal rights.

As the National Assembly commences its sessions for 2024, the political landscape in Bulgaria is set for an early showdown, with opposition parties taking a decisive step to refer recent constitutional amendments to the Constitutional Court.