Bulgarian Citizens’ Long Road to Constitutional Justice for the Protection of Fundamental Rights

Abstract

The article explores the question why the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Bulgaria has primarily evolved as a guardian of constitutional design, failing to gain significant traction as a human rights protector. An examination of the transcripts of the Seventh Grand National Assembly provides valuable insights into how theorists and politicians perceived the role of the Constitutional Court, and how the protection of fundamental rights was deprioritized. This historical perspective highlights the challenges of embedding a robust human rights framework within Bulgaria’s constitutional review process and provides some directions on how to fully realize its potential in protecting fundamental rights.