site.btaEuropean Convention on Human Rights Affirmed Rule of Law and Democracy in Europe, Prof. Irena Ilieva of BAS Says

The European Convention on Human Rights was the first legally binding international treaty to establish the rule of law and democracy in Europe, said Prof. Irena Ilieva, Director of the Institute for the State and the Law at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), at the opening of a conference marking the 75th anniversary of the Convention on Thursday.

The event, held at BAS, brought together scholars, jurists, public figures and representatives of state institutions. Participants included experts from Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, and Spain, as well as representatives of the European Commission and academia.

“We are living in a time of backsliding from democratic principles. Only 28% of people in the world live in democratic countries,” Prof. Ilieva stressed, adding that the forum aimed to discuss both achievements and challenges in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights.

Maria Spasova, Bulgaria’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, emphasized the document’s role in promoting European unity. “The European Convention is a living instrument that creates real obligations to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. It underpins European integration and builds trust among states,” she said.

The conference features five thematic panels presenting more than 30 scholarly papers on judicial practice, individual freedoms, technology and human rights, and future challenges to Europe’s human rights protection system.