Bulgarian authorities deny registration to Old Calendarists

Dormition Cathedral of the Old Calendarists in Sofia. Photo: lambrevphotography

The Bulgarian authorities have refused to register the "Bulgarian Orthodox Old Calendarist Church", according to dariknews.

Justice Minister Maria Pavlova stated during a parliamentary session that representatives of the "Bulgarian Orthodox Old Calendarist Church" submitted their application for registration on December 19. However, they were denied on December 27, 2024. The deadline to appeal this decision is 14 days, expiring on January 10.

According to the minister, the rejection was due to the applicants' failure to provide the required documents. Despite being given two opportunities to complete their documentation as per instructions, they did not comply.

Pavlova emphasized that the Ministry of Justice and the Council of Ministers had recommended changes to the Law on Religious Denominations back in 2022. This recommendation is also included in the 2021 monitoring report of the Committee of Ministers and is part of the roadmap for implementing the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings.

In connection with this issue, interim Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev and Justice Minister Maria Pavlova were heard in Parliament. The discussion was prompted by a decision of the Supreme Court of Cassation on December 16 of the previous year to register the religious organization under the name "Bulgarian Orthodox Old Calendarist Church" in accordance with the ECHR's 2021 ruling in the case "Bulgarian Orthodox Old Calendarist Church and Others v. Bulgaria."

The hearings also addressed a potential connection between the applicants' legal representative Natasha Dobreva and Bulgarian ECHR judge Yonko Grozev, who, according to available information, worked together in the same law firm for nine years. Minister Pavlova confirmed that this fact was reflected in the Bulgarian government's position submitted to the European Court as grounds for Judge Grozev's disqualification.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Patriarch of Bulgaria had discussed the legalization of Old Calendarists with the country's president.

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