Bulgaria’s anti-SLAPP coalition has called on the Ministry of Justice and the Council of Ministers to urgently submit long-prepared legislation implementing the European Union’s directive protecting individuals from strategic lawsuits against public participation, commonly known as SLAPP lawsuits.
The appeal comes after the European Commission launched infringement proceedings against Bulgaria and 13 other EU member states for failing to transpose Directive (EU) 2024/1069 into national legislation before the May 7, 2026 deadline.
Following the Commission’s formal notice, Bulgaria has two months to respond and demonstrate that it has fully implemented the directive. If the European Commission finds the response insufficient, it may proceed to the next stage of the infringement process by issuing a reasoned opinion.
The coalition noted that a draft law amending the Civil Procedure Code was published for public consultation on April 16 by then-acting Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov. The proposal, which incorporates the anti-SLAPP directive into Bulgarian legislation, is the result of years of work involving legal experts, civil society organizations, and representatives of several successive governments.
