Balkans | Bulgaria has paid more than 740,000 levs in damages due to the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in 2021

Bulgaria ranks first among EU member states in terms of ex officio cases (groups of cases creating structural and systemic problems) at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. The country ranks sixth after Russia (16%), Ukraine (15%), Turkey (11%), Romania (10%) and Italy (7%). Bulgaria is among the ten countries that delay the implementation of court orders in Strasbourg the most.

This is evidenced by the announcement of the Council of Ministers yesterday, which adopted the decision of the People’s Assembly to submit the ninth annual report on the implementation of the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights in cases brought against Bulgaria in 2021. The topics of the report are divided into three parts. The first provides an update on the number of convictions in the past year, the number of appeals pending at the European Court of Human Rights, and a summary of some of the European Court of Human Rights’ rulings against Bulgaria during the year. Part II contains general information, including comparative statistical information, on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights v. Bulgaria. Decisions made during the year and decisions made are indicated. The third part deals with the main problems arising from the decisions of the courts and explains the measures that the legislative, executive and judicial authorities should take in order to successfully implement the decisions and prevent future violations of the Convention and convictions against Bulgaria. 623) and 17 in terms of the number of complaints pending per capita. The European Court of Human Rights decided in 37 of the 60 cases brought against Bulgaria in 2021. The amount of compensation paid due to ECHR convictions in 2021 is 740 598 levs, of which 228 318 levs are due to amicable agreements and unilateral declarations. According to the number of automatic cases, Bulgaria still ranks first among member states, which puts it at the top of Russia’s list, ranking sixth after Ukraine (16%), Ukraine (15%), Turkey (11%), Romania (10%) and Italy (7%). ). In response, an inter-ministerial working group prepared a draft and the government adopted a roadmap for implementing the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights. The document specified the most urgent measures that should be taken as a legislative act within the competence of the executive authorities to implement decisions, set the deadlines and, accordingly, the institutions responsible for preparing draft amendments to normative laws.

The report identifies the SZ and Kolevi case group with regard to the structural problem of ineffectiveness of criminal procedures and the absence of an independent investigative mechanism by the public prosecutor, as the most significant problem of non-implementation of ECHR rulings. An approach was adopted linking the systemic problems identified in Bulgaria’s fulfillment of its international obligations to the implementation of final decisions of the European Court of Human Rights with commitment at the highest level of the mandate to reforms within the framework of the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability.

Source: CardZhalNews