The Bulgarian Constitution guarantees the Right of Association under the Article 12 and 44 on the condition that they do not act to the detriment of country’s sovereignty, national integrity or unity of the nation and do not incite racial, national, ethnic or religious enmity or any infringement on the rights and freedoms of the other citizens.
Further legislation specifies the circumstances and regulates the regime of these gatherings. Prior to the respective gathering/assembly of citizens it is necessary to receive permission by the municipality authority and to notify the police for the scope of the event.
The Law for citizen participation from 12.06.2009 (a draft developed by the Bulgarian Center for Non-profit Law) in national and local governance stipulates the forms that citizens can utilise referendum on national and local level, citizen initiative and a general assembly of the population.
As for the regulation of associations and foundations, the legislative changes in 2001, introuced the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act, this allows the registration of associations and foundations in public and private benefit. This specifies the registration procedure of non-profit legal entities, the respective rules for their termination, management and relationship with the state. Under this law two main forms of NGOs in Bulgaria are recognized: Associations that are membership-based and Foundations that are property-based organizations. Each of them could be registered either as a public benefit or as a private benefit organization. The registration process is perceived as sufficiently fast and enabling.