Constitutional Court President Panova: Democracy Requires Responsibility and Respect for Constitution

Metodi Yordanov, BTA correspondent Andrey Kyuchukov

Constitutional Court President Pavlina Panova (BTA Photo/Bisser Todorov)

Veliko Tarnovo, North Central Bulgaria,

16.04.2026 11:56

(BTA)

The day is not only a reason for celebration but also a reminder of responsibility - towards the rules and the law, towards the text of the Constitution, and towards citizens whose rights it protects, Constitutional Court President Pavlina Panova said here on Thursday. She opened the ceremonial marking of Bulgaria’s Constitution Day in Veliko Tarnovo with an address.

The event, held at the Museum of the Bulgarian Revival and Constituent Assembly, where the Tarnovo Constitution was adopted on April 16, 1879, is also part of the 35th anniversary celebrations of the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria.

Panova said that gathering in the historic hall is not merely a tribute to history but a sign of continuity, recalling that in 1879 Bulgarian representatives laid the foundations not only of governance but of the state’s character.

She noted that the Tarnovo Constitution was an act of political courage that placed Bulgaria among modern European states by introducing principles such as the separation of powers, parliamentary representation, and protection of fundamental rights. At the same time, she pointed out that it reflected the limitations of its era, as it did not provide for judicial review of laws.

The idea of constitutional oversight, however, was not foreign to Bulgarian legal thought, Panova said, adding that it only became a reality with the 1991 Constitution, which established the Constitutional Court and answered the question of who ensures that state principles are upheld.

Over the past 35 years, she said, the Court has played a key role not only in applying the Constitution but also in building constitutional culture, ensuring balance between state powers and protecting citizens’ fundamental rights.

“Democracy is not rule of the majority without limits,” Panova said, stressing that the rule of law requires clear rules, impartiality, and distance from political pressure.

She warned that modern democracy faces risks in times of rapid political and technological change, when there is often a temptation to seek quick solutions at the expense of legal order.

Panova emphasized that the constitutional order is rarely dismantled abruptly, but rather gradually, through small exceptions, overly flexible interpretations, and justifications of violations as temporary necessities.

She also highlighted the European dimension of constitutionalism, noting that Bulgaria’s participation in the European legal space requires a strong constitutional identity and active institutional dialogue.

In conclusion, she called for responsibility towards the law, the Constitution, and citizens, saying this responsibility is the foundation for preserving and developing Bulgarian statehood.

“Constitutionalism requires not only knowledge, but character,” she said.

/КT/