Have we benefited from the “evolution” of the “Law of Bulgarian subjection” from 1940 to the current “Bulgarian citizenship Law” from 1999 or not ?
Bulgarian citizenship. The privileges and harms of citizenship. Foreigners and Bulgarian citizenship. We will find out all this below. Let’s first clarify the concept of citizenship.Citizenship is the permanent legal relationship of a person with the state. Considered as a legal status, citizenship includes a range of rights and obligations between the individuals and the state. In a political sense, citizenship is the right of a person to participate in the public life and in the governance. Citizenship is a bearer of identity associated with membership in a given society.
According to some, subjection and citizenship are mutually exclusive concepts. The subject can only obey his master, while the citizen is free to make his own laws. This is a basic democratic principle. According to other authors, citizenship and subjection are different terms meaning one and the same thing, because for freedom to exist, obedience to the law must exist firstly, whether to the monarch or to the majority, as in the republic.
THE MODERN CONCEPT OF A CITIZEN
One of the first definitions in the modern sense of the word was given in d’Alembert’s Encyclopédie. According to him, the citizen is a member of society. Citizenship consists of many families who share rights in a given society and receive protection. The family is the building block of society and only men can be citizens.
“Fortunately for us, these understandings are a thing of the past.”
What are the differences and which of the two is more favorable for us ?
Even at the very beginning of the two legal acts there are significant differences. In the “Law of Bulgarian Subjection” in art. 4, the definition of a Bulgarian citizen. Everyone whose mother and father are Bulgarian is considered to be of Bulgarian origin.
The above is not mentioned in the new law of Bulgarian citizenship. But with the exception of this “small” legislative loophole.The new law gives us the opportunity to be both Bulgarian citizens and citizens of another country, which is a great advantage. Аccording to its predecessor – the law on Bulgarian subjection – a Bulgarian citizen cannot be a citizen of another country.
If a subject uses a foreign nationality or even tries to do so, this would give reason to be removed from the lists of the Bulgarian subjects (citizens).
THE FOREIGNERS AND THE BULGARIAN CITIZENSHIP
Bulgarian citizenship by naturalization nowadays
The process of obtaining Bulgarian citizenship by naturalization is a legal procedure with a high level of complexity. There are several options for obtaining citizenship by naturalization.
- Naturalization through permanent or long-term residence;
- Naturalization for special merit;
- Naturalization by investment.
Citizenship by From 1940 until today, the procedure for acquiring citizenship by a foreigner has changed, but it has kept its name- “citizenship by naturalization”. There are, of course, differences in the conditions and procedures for acquiring Bulgarian citizenship by a foreigner. The result is always the same, although today it happens much more common- a Bulgarian citizenship to be denied to a foreigner.
Loss of Bulgarian citizenship
What is interesting here? Perhaps interesting from today’s point of view, is that in addition to renouncing subjection and acquiring a foreign one, that overlaps with the law on Bulgarian citizenship. You could also lose it due to several interesting events listed in Article- 14 of the law on Bulgarian subjection.
Bulgarian subjection (citizenship) can lose a person who:
- Was convicted under Article-111g of the criminal law, and also one who, in various forms, receives material funds from a foreign country, without the knowledge of the government, for political purposes;
- Without the consent of the Bulgarian government, joined the Bulgarian army on the territory of another country;
- Joined the ranks of a foreign army without the permission of the Bulgarian government;
- Legitimate reasons, during mobilization, does not report to the ranks of the Bulgarian army in a timely manner and remains or flees abroad;
- By virtue of an agreement between Bulgaria and another country, received another citizenship.
Today the reasons listed above are not relevant, unless the overall situation changes or the military situation in nearby countries worsens.
Immovable property of those deprived of Bulgarian citizenship
Unthinkable for today’s society, but the properties of those deprived of Bulgarian citizenship and their spouses, as well as the properties that these persons would acquire in the future, become STATE.
Аcquirig Bulgarian citizenship
What is the interesting thing about the law on Bulgarian citizenship is that persons who are foreigners and have permanent residence in the Kingdom. If they participated in the wars of 1912-1913, 1915-1918 or in one of them as military personnel for the Bulgarian army, can acquire Bulgarian citizenship.
Wars and Bulgarian Citizenship
In addition to this group of persons, there are others benefited by the law on Bulgarian citizenship, and these are the so- called holders of Nansen passports – Russians and Armenians, who were exempted from taxes if they settled in the Kingdom before 1 of January , 1929
Have we benefited from the opportunities that the new law does not provide?
The possibilities that the new law on Bulgarian citizenship gives us satisfy all the wishes of the foreigner wishing to acquire one. The legal act in force today contains the necessary tools for proceedings to acquire Bulgarian citizenship. Significantly easier to digest than its predecessor and working for the benefit of those who need it. The comparison of the two regulations is relevant to the comparison between a new and an old car. Both would lead you to the final goal, but the way with the new one would be much more favorable for us.
The natural course of development and the environment nowadays require a faster and easier procedure. We can only be happy about the fact that we live in such a dynamic environment and have so many opportunities. The law on Bulgarian citizenship is the key that opens our door. Not only to Bulgaria, but also to the European union. And the fact is indisputable that by obtaining a European passport we get an opportunity for a new life.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you need assistance regarding obtaining Bulgarian citizenship!
Our team of specialists will completely take over all the procedures for obtaining Bulgarian citizenship. The advice for the complexity of the procedure is necessary competence and 100% legal correctness. We can show you assistance, guaranteeing you the implementation in the shortest terms and orderly procedures.