Case status: Pending.
Follow-up: -
Topics: Clear, transparent and consistent framework; Protection of environmental defenders; Access to justice.
Articles alleged: 3 (1), 3 (8); 8; 9 (1)–(5).
Articles considered by the Committee: -
Articles, if any, found in non-compliance: -
Summary: The communication was submitted to the Compliance Committee on 1 October 2018 by Za Zemiata, a Bulgarian NGO. The communication alleged non-compliance with articles 3 (1) and (8), 8 and 9 (1)–(5), of the Convention with respect to certain legislative amendments, court practice denying standing to challenge air quality plans and allegedly derogatory public statements made by high officials with regard to environmental NGOs.
Documents | Status | Date received or posted by the secretariat |
---|---|---|
From the communicant | 01.10.2018 | |
Comments on preliminary admissibility | From the Party concerned | 05.11.2018 |
Letters to the Party concerned and the communicant enclosing Committee's determination of preliminary admissibility and forwarding the communication for the Party concerned's response | From the secretariat | 18.01.2019 |
Response to the communication Annex 1: Administrative Procedure Code |
From the Party concerned | 17.06.2019 |
Additional information Annex 1: Attachments 1-10 Annex 2: Attachments 11-15 Annex 3: Attachments 16-20 |
From the communicant | 20.02.2020 |
Letters inviting Party concerned and communicant to hearing at the Committee's 81st meeting | From the secretariat | 31.10.2023 |
Email enclosing update | From the Party concerned | 20.11.2023 |
Reply to Committee’s questions of 31.10.2023 Annex 1: Extracts of legislation Annex 2: Chronology of events of adoption of Amendment to EPA Annex 3: Judgment no. 552 of Supreme Administrative Court, dated 24.01.2022 Annex 5: Written consents (redacted version of annex 4) Annex 6: List of activities as environmental defender: Toma Belev Annex 7: List of activities as environmental defender: Andrey Kovachev Annex 8: Publication of 14.01.2018 in the online media of the Bulgarian National Television BULG and ENG |
From the communicant | 28.11.2023 |
Annex 9: Publication of 01.02.2018 in the online media of the Bulgarian National Radio BULG and ENG Annex 10: Excerpts from judgment no. 10238, 27.07.2018 Annex 11: English translation of annex 18 to additional information dated 20.02.2020 |
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Statements at hearing | From the communicant | 13.12.2023 |
Additional information and opening statement at hearing | From the Party concerned | 13.12.2023 |