Bulgaria - September 2023

On 5 September, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the government’s failure to legally recognize same-sex couples violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The case was brought to the ECHR by two Bulgarian women whose marriage in the United Kingdom was not recognized by the authorities. While this landmark decision does not mandate the country to legalize same-sex marriages in the country, it does require its authorities to create a legal framework in collaboration with the Council of Europe to ensure the protection of same-sex couples going forward. 

Sources: European Court of Human Rights, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Bulgaria), Balkan Insight, Human Rights Watch