Constitutional Traditions – the Bulgarian Perspective

Abstract

The term “constitutional tradition” is undefined by legislation and jurisprudence. Considered as a notion of common knowledge, it nevertheless raises questions as to its ideological scope and content. This paper focuses briefly on the different theories for the scope of constitutional tradition and its relationship with national/constitutional identity. It traces the evolution of Bulgarian constitutional history on the basis of which some key elements inherent in the national constitutional model are deduced. Then it places Bulgarian constitutional tradition within the larger context of the membership in the European Union. The article cites several judgments of the Constitutional court which refer to constitutional tradition and draws conclusions for its significance.