Bulgarian evangelicals
alarm about religion law “threatening rights and freedoms of churches”
The European Evangelical Alliance and the World
Evangelical Alliance issue statements calling to stop a legislation that would
give “huge and unnecessary powers to the Bulgarian State to interfere with
faith communities”.
Bulgarian evangelicals have called international bodies
to respond to a new legislation that could severely restrict religious freedom
and the rights of faith minorities.
“The Bulgarian State is wrongly assuming power into the
internal life of religious communities”, the Evangelical Alliance Bulgaria
(EAB) denounced in a letter sent this week to the European Evangelical
Alliance.
“Almost every single article in the newly proposed
bills erroneously and unfairly claims political authority over religious life”,
writes Pastor Rumen Bordjiev.
In the last months, the parliament has discussed a new
legislation that will enable a “state policy of interference into church
affairs”, the President of the EAB says.
WHAT DOES THE NEW LEGISLATION SAY?
These are the main problems with the new legislation:
- Only Bulgarian
citizens will be able to carry out liturgical activity if they have had
theological training in Bulgaria or their foreign school is approved.
- Only Eastern Orthodox & Muslim believers will be
able to train clergy and run schools.
- A foreigner will only be able to preach if doing so
with a Bulgarian ordained minister.
- Foreign donations will only be allowed for building
construction or social aid and will need government approval. No salaries of
pastors for example could be paid from abroad.
- No religious activities can take place outside of
buildings designated for them.
- Only religious groups with +300 people will have
legal status.
ALL RELIGIOUS GROUPS OPPOSE THE LAW
After receiving the “green light” in its first reading
in parliament last October 4, a period for possible objections and discussions
was opened. The parliament has allowed an interim period for possible
objections that will end on November 16. In the meantime, a task group
comprised by politicians and religious representatives is supposed to work on
the wording of the suggested articles. By now, however, the task group has not
yet started its work.
After carefully analyzing the law, the Bulgarian
Evangelical Alliance has said the legislation “is so flawed, amendments cannot
solve the problems - Instead, it should be scrapped”.
“Literally no religious community has expressed
agreement with the proposed changes”, the Bulgarian evangelical body said. In
fact, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Muslim religion, all Protestant
denominations, the Armenian community, the Jewish community, and the Catholic
Church, have all issued statements of protest.
EVANGELICALS STAND UP IN DEFENSE OF FAITH EXPRESSION
Evangelical Christians are one of the minority faith
groups that would see their rights and freedoms affected. This is why the
Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance “insisted on being invited to the committee
discussing the amended articles of the law (…) We have also demanded a special
meeting with the country’s Prime Minister Mr. Boyko Borisov in order to express
our explicit refusal to agree with such an intervention of the government into
religious affairs”.
Furthermore, “various NGOs are also considering joining
efforts and possibly even taking legal actions, led by the unanimous opinion
that the law is discriminatory, anti-constitutional and unjust”.
PEACEFUL RALLIES AFTER SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
This coming Sunday afternoon, November 11, evangelical
Christians all over the country will go out on the streets after their worship
services in peaceful rallies for their right to practice their faith. Churches
from various denominations in the towns of Sofia, Ruse, Burgas, Silistra,
Dobrich, Kotel (among others) mobilize their members to join the street
protest.
They will carry signs, saying “The new bill on religion
brings us back to communism!”, and “Religious freedom in Bulgaria is in
danger!”
‘WRITE LETTERS TO THE BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT’
The Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance has also called
fellow believers to take the following actions: “pray” for the situation;
“alarm” other Evangelical Alliances about the situation in Bulgaria, contact
“European institutions, Members of the European parliament and international
human and religious rights organizations”; write letters to the Bulgarian
government.
EEA: SITUATION IN BULGARIA IS “ALARMING”
In response to the letter of Bulgarian evangelicals,
the European Evangelical Alliance expressed its concern over the “alarming
developments in Bulgaria”.
According to the body representing millions of
evangelical Christians in the whole continent, the new legislation would give
“huge and unnecessary power of the Bulgarian State to interfere with all faith
communities”. Therefore, “if the Parliament wishes to continue discussions,
then representatives of the churches should be involved”.
The EEA calls “to pray and encourage others to pray”
and to “contact the Bulgarian embassy in your nation and write to the
politicians in Sofia. Write a short letter/email explaining the main problems
in the proposed legislation as outlined above. Politely but firmly ask why
Bulgaria would introduce legislation that is so excessive and also harmful to
all faith communities. Demand that the legislative proposal be scrapped”.
For those in European Union Member States, the EEA
encourages to “write a short letter to the MEPs of your nation, explaining the
main problems in the proposed legislation and asking them to speak urgently to
their Bulgarian colleagues to ask why Bulgaria would introduce legislation that
is so excessively controlling and would cause great difficulties for all
faiths. Click here to find the MEPs of your nation”.
WORLD EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE: STRENGTHEN RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM
The World Evangelical Alliance’s also reacted to the
letter of Bulgarian evangelicals.
Secretary General Efraim Tendero said: “At a time when
governments worldwide face the challenge of strengthening freedoms while
maintaining security, we call on Bulgaria and other democratic countries to
lead by example and to strengthen the right to religious freedom rather than to
weaken it”.
The WEA’s statement added: “We call on the Bulgarian
authorities to reconsider its draft legislation aimed at amending the Religious
Denominations Act (...) And we call on evangelicals worldwide to accompany our
brothers and sisters in Bulgaria in prayer as they dialogue with their
political leaders to identify the best path forward”.
Update 11-24-18: http://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/3936/Despite_vehement_protests_Bulgarian_state_moves_new_religious_legislation
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