On April 21, 2026, in the hall of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria (ULB),

a ceremonial celebration of Constitution Day and the professional holiday of Bulgarian lawyers and judicial employees took place. During the event, something almost unprecedented occurred – the President, the Minister of Justice, the Chair of the ULB, and a number of prominent legal professionals unanimously expressed their commitment to changes in our judicial system.

The event was organized by the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Judicial Council, the Supreme Bar Council, the Notary Chamber of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents, the Union of Judges in Bulgaria, the Association of Bulgarian Administrative Judges, the Association of Prosecutors in Bulgaria, and the Chamber of Investigators.

Official guests at the ceremonial assembly included: Ms. Iliana Yotova – President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Pavlina Panova – Chair of the Constitutional Court, Mr. Andrey Yankulov – Minister of Justice, Mr. Lyubomir Gaydov – Acting Chair of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), Mr. Stefan Marchev – Chair of the Supreme Bar Council, Ms. Velislava Delcheva – Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, constitutional judges, members of parliament, members of the Supreme Judicial Council, supreme court judges, senior magistrates, legal professionals from all branches of the legal profession, representatives of the collective members of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, and journalists.

The ceremonial assembly was opened by the Chair of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, Mr. Vladislav Slavov. In his welcoming remarks, he noted that 147 years ago, the Constituent Assembly, convened in the historic city of Veliko Tarnovo, adopted the first Bulgarian Constitution, which has remained in history as the Tarnovo Constitution and paved the way for the restoration and development of Bulgarian statehood on the basis of constitutionalism, parliamentarism, and universal democratic values. It is one of the most democratic constitutions of its time, introducing the rule of law, separation of powers, parliamentary oversight, political pluralism, freedom of thought and speech, the right of association, personal inviolability, and protection of property.

A key emphasis in his address was also the 60th anniversary of the restoration of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria under its current name. He noted that the Union is the largest legal NGO, with thousands of members organized in more than 30 associations on a territorial and institutional basis. It also includes 23 organizations as collective members, among them the Institute for the State and the Law, the Notary Chamber, the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents, the Supreme Bar Council, and all professional organizations of judges, prosecutors, investigators, and others.

Mr. Vladislav Slavov pointed out that at present the judicial system is dysfunctional, politically controlled, and lacking guarantees for changes in the functioning of the courts and the prosecution. At the same time, there are clear indications that, in the near future, there will be no cases or convictions for corruption at the highest levels of power. The elections of April 19 have brought a note of optimism and hope. The Chair emphasized that the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria has prepared a conceptual framework on the basis of which a public, rather than parliamentary, quota of the Supreme Judicial Council should be elected by Parliament, alongside an independent Supreme Judicial Council elected by judges and prosecutors.

He congratulated all lawyers and judicial employees on the occasion of the holiday, wishing them good health, personal happiness, well-being, professional success, and satisfaction from their work.

Mr. Vladislav Slavov expressed special thanks to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Iliana Yotova, for once again honoring the celebration of the legal community at the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, which he described as a great honor, and invited her to deliver her address.

In her address, she stated that the stability of other institutions and their legitimacy in the eyes of citizens depend on the judiciary. If the justice system does not function properly and remains tied to political influence, as it has been so far - if magistrates are appointed merely because they are convenient - then Bulgarian citizens will not see justice. As a result, public trust in the governance of the country and in the rule of law collapses.

The authors of the Tarnovo Constitution embedded in it fundamental values such as equality, justice, and the opportunity to participate in political life, but unfortunately, today’s reality does not reflect what they envisioned 147 years ago, Ms. Iliana Yotova stated.

The President noted that if state institutions at various levels of governance had more often listened to the positions of the legal community in recent years, Bulgaria would now have a functioning rule-of-law state, and disputes damaging the prestige of the entire system would not be taking place.

The head of state pointed out that if the new National Assembly embarks on constitutional amendments or takes the long and difficult path of judicial reform, it must consult the legal community and its representatives from different branches of the legal profession. The worst aspect of the current situation, she emphasized, would be to once again interfere in the judicial system in an ill-informed, uncontrolled, partisan, and politically dependent manner, without considering the views of those who work within it every day. She called for reforms not to be made piecemeal, but calmly and with careful deliberation.

Ms. Iliana Yotova stressed that newly elected members of parliament must learn from previous attempts at judicial reform and from the poor practices witnessed in recent years: "Unfortunately, in recent years, many Bulgarian politicians who claimed to have a strong hand in governance came to believe that the judiciary was theirs to control." She added that this attitude has led to "an outrageous encroachment on the Bulgarian Constitution." According to her, the most recent constitutional amendments are not only the result of poorly considered and politically expedient decisions, but also a matter of personal political survival.

The President expressed hope that the new National Assembly would have the will to revise provisions in the fundamental law that currently undermine other institutions in the governance of the country, as is the case with the appointment of a caretaker government.

Addressing the lawyers in the hall, she said: "Be persistent, even when you are not sought out. With your professional experience, your ideas, and your understanding of whether a legal norm works or not, you will be the most valuable."

Following the President’s address and with gratitude for accepting the invitation to the ceremonial commemoration of Constitution Day and Lawyers’ Day, Mr. Vladislav Slavov gave the floor for a speech to the Minister of Justice, Mr. Andrey Yankulov.

Further greetings to the legal community were delivered by Ms. Velislava Delcheva – Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, who presented the Chair of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria with the Ombudsman’s honorary plaque on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the restoration of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria; Mr. Stefan Marchev – Chair of the Supreme Bar Council; Mr. Svetlin Mikushinski – representative of the Notary Chamber; and Mr. Georgi Dichev – Chair of the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents.

Congratulatory addresses on the occasion of Constitution Day and the professional day of lawyers were also received by the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria from the Supreme Judicial Council, the Inspectorate to the Supreme Judicial Council, the Supreme Bar Council, the National Bureau for Control of Special Intelligence Means, the Rector of Sofia University, the Chair of the Sofia City Court, the Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency, and others.

And then came the awards – to those who most deserve them!

For the 13th consecutive year, the "Partner of the Year" award was presented. Previous recipients include: the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria, Aпис-Bulgaria, the All-Bulgarian Committee and the Vasil Levski Foundation, the "Institute for Legislative and Law Enforcement Research" Foundation, the Municipality of Burgas, the Supreme Bar Council, Nova Zvezda Publishing House, the "Center for Policy Modernization" Foundation, the Municipality of Varna, the Commission for Personal Data Protection, the "Vazrazhdane" District of Sofia Municipality, and the Center for Legal Sciences at Burgas Free University.

The "Partner of the Year" award for 2025 was presented to the Municipality of Devin. It was personally received by the mayor of the municipality, Mr. Zdravko Ivanov.

For the 23rd consecutive year, the highest individual awards of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria – for professional achievements and active union involvement – honorary plaque and certificate of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria – were awarded to: Mr. Atanas Stoianov – attorney, Chair of the Bar Association of Stara Zagora; Mr. Daniel Iliev – prosecutor; Mr. Krasimir Mashev – judge at the Sofia Court of Appeal; Ms. Rumyana Hristova – legal counsel; Mr. Svetlin Mikushinski – notary; and Mr. Stefan Gorchev – private enforcement agent. The distinguished legal professionals were presented by the Deputy Chair of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, Mr. Nikolay Gunchev.

For the 17th time, the award for professional achievements of "APIS EUROPE" – a legal information product which also includes "APIS PRAVO" and "APIS REGISTER" – was presented. This year, it was awarded to the Union of Judges in Bulgaria and was received on their behalf by a representative, from the Deputy Manager of "APIS EUROPE", Ms. Irina Radoeva.

For the 23rd consecutive time, the annual awards of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria for journalists were also presented – for active, accurate, and objective coverage of the activities of the judiciary. Certificates, material prizes, and a 7-day holiday card at the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria’s base in the village of Bozhentsi were awarded to Ms. Bogdana Lazarova (BNT) and Ms. Stanislava Krasteva (Pro News Dobrich).

The ceremonial assembly concluded with a concert by the String Orchestra of the Cultural House of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria.

Photos: Romeo Cholakov

Top row: The Chair of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, Mr. Vladislav Slavov, opens the ceremonial assembly in the presence of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Iliana Yotova, the Minister of Justice, Mr. Andrey Yankulov, and the Chair of the Constitutional Court, Ms. Pavlina Panova.

First row: Mr. Vladislav Slavov opens the ceremonial assembly; the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Iliana Yotova, delivers greetings to the legal community; the Minister of Justice, Mr. Andrey Yankulov, delivers his speech.

Second row: Further greetings to the legal community were delivered by Ms. Velislava Delcheva – Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria, who presented Mr. Vladislav Slavov with the Ombudsman’s Honorary Plaque on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the restoration of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria; Mr. Stefan Marchev, Chair of the Supreme Bar Council; Mr. Svetlin Mikushinski, representative of the Notary Chamber of the Republic of Bulgaria; and Mr. Georgi Dichev, Chair of the Chamber of Private Enforcement Agents.

Third row: The "Partner of the Year" award for 2025 was received by the Municipality of Devin. It was personally accepted by the mayor, Mr. Zdravko Ivanov; the Deputy Chair of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria, Mr. Nikolay Gunchev, presents the awarded legal professionals for professional achievements and active union involvement; Ms. Elena Noneva accepts the award on behalf of the absent attorney Mr. Atanas Stoianov, and Mr. Slavov congratulated her on her election as a member of parliament; the young prosecutor from Dobrich, Mr. Daniel Iliev, receives his award.

Fourth row: Additional awards were presented to: Ms. Rumyana Hristova – legal counsel; Mr. Svetlin Mikushinski – notary; Mr. Stefan Gorchev – private enforcement agent; Ms. Irina Radoeva, Deputy Manager of "APIS EUROPE", presents the APIS award to the Union of Judges in Bulgaria.

Fifth row: A certificate of appreciation for a donation marking the 75th anniversary of the String Orchestra of the Cultural House of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria was received by Ms. Miglena Tacheva; this year’s awards of the Union of Lawyers in Bulgaria for journalists – for active, accurate, and objective coverage of the judiciary – were presented to Ms. Bogdana Lazarova (BNT) and Ms. Stanislava Krasteva (Pro News Dobrich).