Cohabitation Remains "Illegal" in Bulgaria

Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev has been cohabitating for years with his long-term girlfriend, popular journalist Elena Yoncheva. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian parliament has refused to give the green light to legislative amendments that would allow couples to live in cohabitation, already a widespread phenomenon here.

Seventy-seven MP have voted against, and only seven in favor of the bill that suggests changes in the Bulgarian Family Code in the matters of civil partnership.

The proposal caused serious public dispute in the last few months, which involved even the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

In the of 2008, the Church issued an official statement, saying that marriage was one of the foundations of morality, and guaranteed social stability.

The parliament, though, passed the changes in the Family Code regarding marriage settlement. It has not been foreseen by any Bulgarian law up to now.

With the changes marriage settlement can be signed either before, or during the marriage.

 

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