Legal provisions for direct democracy at the local level

Bulgaria, Constitution 1991 (as amended in 2015), accessed 7 September 2022

Art. 136.

(1) A municipality shall be the basic administrative territorial unit at the level of which self-government shall be practiced. Citizens shall participate in the government of the municipality both through their elected bodies of local self-government and directly, through a referendum or a general meeting of the populace.

(2) The borders of a municipality shall be established following a referendum of the populace.

(3) A municipality shall be a legal entity.

Bulgaria, Act on Direct Participation of Citizens in Government and Local Government of 29 May 2009 (as amended in 22 February 2022), accessed 7 September 2022

Articles 26-33

While the section 136.1 of the Constitution provides for general referenda (we understand it as optional referenda), the section 136.2 makes it clear that borders of municipalities shall require a referendum, which makes it mandatory. Articles 26-33 of the Act on Direct Participation of Citizens in Government and Local Government of 29 May 2009 provides detailed regulation on local direct democracy.