The Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Club Marks the 130th Anniversary of the Tarnovo Constitution

Veliko Tarnovo. 130 years later.
Ivan Tsarov, Director of the Veliko Tarnovo Regional Museum of History, Mr. Mikhail Torshin, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Ruse, Prof. Bogdan Zimnenko, Head of the Private International Law Department of the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Prof. Alexander Golichenkov, Dean of the Law Faculty of the Moscow State University, Prof. Alexander Kovalev, Head of the International Law Department of the Diplomatic Academy at MFA of the Russian Federation, Prof. Dr. Bliznashki, lecturer at Sofia University and MP, Prof. Vyacheslav Lebedev, President of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and Doctor Honoris Causa of Sofia University, Prof. Dr. Doncho Hrusanov, Prof. Plamen Legkostup, Rector of St. St. Cyril and Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Prof. Dr. Dimiter Tokushev, constitutional judge, Prof. Dr. Snezhana Nacheva, constitutional judge, Dimiter Tomov, President of the Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Club, Prof. Dr. Dimiter Kostov, Marat Gabassov, lawyer, Vice President of the Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Club

The jubilee conference of the Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Club (BRJC) dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the first Bulgarian Constitution was held on April 25 in Veliko Tarnovo. For the second time since its foundation in 2001, BRJC marked the Tarnovo Constitution by a solemn forum – the first one was on the occasion of the 125th anniversary (2004).

In the conference organized by the St. St. Cyril and Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, the Faculty of Law of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and the Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Club took part dozens of jurists – judges from the supreme courts of the Republic of Bulgaria, Prof. Vyacheslav Lebedev, President of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, professors from the law faculties of the University of Sofia and the University of Veliko Tarnovo, jurists and lawyers from many cities in the country. Guests from the Russian Federation were Prof. Alexander Golichenkov, Dean of the Law Faculty of the Moscow State University, Prof. Alexander Kovalev, Head of the International Law Department of the Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Prof. Anatoliy Kapustin, Dean of the Faculty of Law of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and President of the International Law Association, Prof. Bogdan Zimnenko, Head of the Private International Law Department of the Diplomatic Academy, Alexander Gusev, head of the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, Marat Gabassov, lawyer, Vice President of the Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Club.

The discussion went at a very high scientific level. The presentations, reports and comments contained profound analyses and conclusions. Particular interest evoked the expose of Prof. Vyacheslav Lebedev, who has studied the topic in depth. The conference materials are already in the press – the next volume of Bulgarian-Russian Juridical Library, published by St. Kliment Ohridski University Press.

The conference was held in the building of the Constituent Assembly, where the foundations of the Third Bulgarian State were laid. Here, on April 16, 1879 a National Assembly of the most public-spirited and educated Bulgarians, in the presence of diplomatic representatives of the Great Powers, voted the fundamental law of the liberated Bulgarian lands and the country reappeared on the map of Europe.