EESC Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group concludes a visit to Bulgaria

On 11-12 December 2025, the Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law (FRRL) Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) concluded a two-day visit to Sofia in the midst of the government stepping down due to large scale demonstrations. 

This visit gave the opportunity to the group of six EESC Members to hear civil society representatives about key trends in Bulgaria concerning fundamental rights of social partners, freedoms of association and assembly, freedom of expression (including media freedom), the right to non-discrimination, and the rule of law.  

Participants in the discussions particularly highlighted:

  • A volatile regulatory environment, labour shortages, falling union density, weak collective bargaining, mistrust between social partners, and poor implementation of worker's rights;
  • Token consultations, attempts to introduce "foreign agent legislation", the creation of a "Soros commission" to scrutinise CSOs, difficulties to access information and funding, and instances of police violence in recent demonstrations;
  • Omnipresent state propaganda, state advertising fund government controlled media, the "transparency" bill targets journalists too, Pegasus spyware was used against journalists;
  • Hate campaigns against LGBTIQ+, migrant, and women's organisations, institutional betrayal of victims of discrimination and violence, no funding, Roma organisations almost extinct.
  • Systemic problems with corruption, lack of transparency in the judiciary, several judicial bodies worked despite expired mandates. In particular the prosecution was influenced by oligarchs, and there were smear campaigns against independent judges, and unexplained recusals of judges.   

The EESC delegation also discussed with the representation of the European Commission and the authorities of Bulgaria.

A report will be issued in the coming months. 

The visit was the second one of the FRRL Group to Bulgaria, following a visit in 10-11 October 2019 (report).

Background 

The EESC established in 2018 a Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law (FRRL Group), which is tasked to provide a forum for European civil society organisations to meet and discuss fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law. The FRRL Group promotes respect for the European values listed in Article 2 TEU by raising awareness of and assessing the state of play of these values in the Member States and allowing for the exchange of good practices. To this end, the FRRL Group hosts hearings, conferences, and carries out country visits with the aim of identifying trends in Europe concerning fundamental rights and the rule of law, inasmuch as they develop in national contexts.

 Country visit reports are issued along with the observations of the authorities, a few months after the visits (they can be accessed here). The visit to Hungary is part of the second cycle of visits of the FRRL Group to all EU Member States. The Report synthesising the first cycle of country visits led in 2018-2019,  2020-2021, 2022  and 2023-2024 are available. 

For more information about the EESC FRRL Group methodology, see this document. 

The delegation of the FRRL Group to Bulgaria was composed of: