European Court Throws Out Bulgarian Government Church Appeal

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Government's appeal against the Inokentii synod (above) ruling has failed. Photo by BGNES

The European Court of Human Rights has thrown out the Bulgarian Government's appeal against the recent Inokentii synod ruling.

The government supported by a large percentage of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church had asked for the case to be moved to the Court's high chamber. This request was refused in a Court statement made late Thursday after the final decision was taken behind closed doors on June 5.

The Court has now given the Bulgarian government a 3 month period in which to recognize the Inokentii synod or to face sanctions.

Representatives of 12 Bulgarian Orthodox Churches supported the Patriarch Maxim, calling on the Bulgarian government to stand united with the Church in appealing against the decision made by the European Court of Human Rights, which they duly did.

The court gave its backing in April to the Inokentii synod in their bid for independence and ruled that Bulgaria had violated the right to religious freedom and that the Bulgarian Government had intervened disproportionately by appointing patriarch Maxim as the ruler of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

 

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