The constitutional standing of philosophical and non-religious beliefs in Bulgaria

Abstract

This paper explores freedom of philosophical and non-religious beliefs in Bulgaria. It outlines the constitutional framework of this freedom both in the contemporary Bulgarian constitutional model based on the current 1991 Constitution and in Bulgarian constitutional history as well as previous fundamental laws – the 1879, 1947, and 1971 Constitutions. The paper explores both the legal and socio-legal aspects of freedom of philosophical and non-religious beliefs, analysing the role of normative ideologies in the context of secularism – specifically, the largely secular Bulgarian society. The paper demonstrates the relationship between freedom of philosophical and non-religious beliefs and freedom of religion in Bulgaria. Attention is devoted to organised philosophical and non-religious beliefs. The article explains why freedom of philosophical and non-religious beliefs is protected as an individual and not as a collective right. The paper also explores the practical problems of the philosophical and non-religious beliefs in Bulgaria.

Keywords

• philosophical beliefs
• non-religious beliefs
• freedom of thought
• freedom of conscience
• secularism