site.btaECHR Judge Kovatcheva Says European Constitutionalism Must Remain "Living Shield for Human Dignity"

Addressing the international conference "EUnited in Diversity III" in Sofia on Thursday, European Court of Human Rights Judge Diana Kovatcheva said it is the duty of the highest courts of the EU and of national courts to protect the authority of these courts and ensure that European constitutionalism remains a living shield for human dignity.

The event is organized by the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

European constitutionalism is a constantly evolving project, Kovatcheva said. "The Court of Justice of the EU and the Court of Human Rights are partners; alongside national Constitutional Courts, we form a triangular structure of guardianship at a time when democracy and the rule of law are being challenged. Our duty here is to join forces, to defend the authority of our courts, and to ensure that European constitutionalism remains a living shield for human dignity," she said.

In Kovatcheva's words, European constitutionalism is unlike any other, it is not based on a single constitution or the authority of a single leader, but is a dynamic, ongoing process that intertwines democracy, the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights across the continent.

"The challenge and the beauty lies in ensuring that while each system retains the autonomy altogether, they preserve the coherence of fundamental rights protection across Europe. In this architecture, the Court of Justice of the European Union has played a central role," Kovatcheva said.

According to her, national constitutional courts are the first defenders of fundamental rights and natural partners of the courts in Luxembourg and Strasbourg in the process of upholding fundamental rights and judicial dialogue.

This is the third edition of the forum, which is held every two years. It brings together representatives of jurisdictions from 21 EU Member States. The main theme of this year's event is "The Role of Constitutional Justice in the EU Common Legal Order".