Constitutional Law
Core concepts
Master the hierarchy of norms under the Bulgarian Constitution of 1991: the Constitution, ratified international treaties, statutes (закони), and subordinate acts (постановления, наредби). Know the structure of state power - the National Assembly, the President, the Council of Ministers, and the judiciary - and the separation-of-powers logic behind each competence. Understand the Constitutional Court's jurisdiction (abstract review, disputes between organs, impeachment of the President, constitutionality of political parties) and the key rule that individuals cannot directly petition it. Learn fundamental rights (Articles 30-37 on due process, privacy, and expression) and the conditions for their lawful limitation.
Traps in questions
- The Constitutional Court reviews statutes, not individual court judgments; do not confuse it with cassation.
- Treaties ratified and promulgated take precedence over conflicting statutes, but they do not override the Constitution.
- Distinguish the President's suspensive veto (a single return of a bill) from an absolute veto it is not.
- Know the exact majorities: constitutional amendments need a three-quarters vote in the National Assembly, while ordinary statutes need a simple majority.
Worked example
A statute conflicts with a ratified treaty. Rule of thumb: the treaty prevails over the statute, and the ordinary court applies the treaty directly; the Constitutional Court is not required. Conversely, if the statute conflicts with the Constitution, only the Constitutional Court can annul it, and the referral must come from an authorized body, not a private citizen.