The State
Bulgaria's post-Communist Constitution came into effect in July 1991,
and formed the legal basis of the new Parliamentary Republic. The
head of state is the President of the Republic, elected by a direct
popular vote every five years, and assisted by a Vice-President.
Among the duties of the President are to announce elections for parliament
and local government, conclude treaties, promulgate laws, appoint
and recall chiefs of diplomatic missions and other permanent representatives
of Bulgaria, and act as supreme commander of the armed forces.
The presidential institution is relatively weak, as the constitution
does not allow this office to initiate new laws or veto illegal acts,
although the President is able to bring a law back to parliament
for further consideration.
Petar Stoyanov is the current President, elected in 1996, a member
of the UDF. The previous President was Zhelyu Zhelev, elected in
1992, one of the founders of the UDF, and a lame duck after losing
the party primary in June, 1996.
Parliament consists of a single chamber, the National Assembly, with
240 deputies elected for four years. It exercises parliamentary control
over the executive body. It is a permanently acting body, and is
supported by the work of standing and ad hoc committees elected by
it. Its main activities are the control of legislation, the state
budget, taxes, and setting the date for presidential elections.
The Council of Ministers is the supreme executive body of the government,
and normally, though not necessarily, consists of elected members
of parliament. The right to initiate new legislation is vested in
the deputies and the executive body - the Council of Ministers. |
The Judiciary
The Judiciary is the third component within the political system.
It is an autonomous power, with an independent budget.
The judiciary is represented by the courts, the Prosecutor's Office,
and the investigation authorities. Judges, assessors, prosecutors
and examining magistrates are subject only to the law. Jurisdiction
is performed by district and military courts. It should be performed
by the Supreme Court of Causation, the Supreme Administrative Court,
the Court of Appeal, but the last two are not yet established. The
law makes no provisions for extraordinary courts.
The courts guarantee equality and conditions for fair competition
between the sides in legal proceedings. The Chief Prosecutor exercises
control and supervision over the legality of the activity of all
prosecutors. The investigating authorities are incorporated in the
system of judiciary power. They carry out the preliminary investigations
of criminal cases.
The Supreme Legal Council has 45 members. The judges, prosecutors,
and examining magistrates have immunity, as do the parliamentary
deputies.
The Constitutional Court has a special place in the system of judiciary
power, being the supreme arbiter of the different powers in conflicts
that arise during the performance of their rights and duties, and
in the relations between them. |
Local Government and Administration
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The rights and obligations of the local authorities are
defined in the Local Self-Government and Local Administration
Act.
Bulgaria's territory is divided into 28 regions and 273 municipalities:
Sofia city, Sofia region, Plovdiv, Haskovo, Varna, Bourgas,
Rouse, Lovetch Montana, Vidin, Vratza, Pernik, Kyustendil,
Blagoevgrad, Pleven, Pazardjik, Smolyan, Kurdjali, Yambol,
Gabrovo, Veliko Turnovo, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Turgovishte,
Razgrad, Shoumen, Dobritch, Silistra.
The region (oblast) represents the national government on the
territory of the province, and ensures correspondence between
national and local interests. The Governor who rules over the
region is assisted by the regional administration, and is appointed
by the Council of Ministers. |
The municipality is the basic administrative territorial unit in
which local self-government is carried out. The citizen takes part
in the government of the municipality through the bodies of local
self-government, elected by them, and also directly through referenda
and by general assembly of the population. The body of local self-government
in the municipality is the Municipal Council, elected by the population
of the respective municipality with a mandate of four years. The
mayor is the executive body of the municipality. He is elected
by the population or by the Municipal Council for a four-year term
of office. The municipality has an independent budget and its own
property, which it uses in the interest of the territorial community. |
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