Bulgarian Academy of Sciences provides insights on ECHR conference - EXCLUSIVE

CE Report presents an exclusive email interview with Professor Irena Ilieva, Director of the Institute for State and Law at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, providing insights into the objectives, thematic focus, and outcomes of the Conference on the European Convention on Human Rights.

Could you provide a detailed agenda of the conference, including the schedule of the five thematic panels and keynote sessions?

Unfortunately, the vice president of the Republic of Bulgaria didn't attend, as well as high officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice. In my opinion, this is a signal of how important human rights are for the politicians and the government in Bulgaria. This lack was filled by the statement of the former permanent representative of Bulgaria to the Council of Europe, Mme Maria Spassova.

Will the proceedings or key findings from the conference be published or made publicly accessible after the event?

We plan to publish all outcomes of the conference in a book, but this process is long and requires the hard work of the Editorial Board.

How does ISL–BAS plan to involve young researchers and PhD students in the discussions and dissemination of outcomes?

The Bulgarian media are interested in the young researchers' presentations. Some of them gave additional information to the journalists interested. I expect new publications in the Bulgarian media on different topics related to the conference.

Are there any planned initiatives or collaborations resulting from the conference to further the application and protection of the ECHR in Bulgaria or the broader European context?

Mr Mike Whine and I - we are members of the European Commission against racism and intolerance of the Council of Europe, and maybe there will be further initiatives related to the ECHR.

Will there be opportunities for international media coverage or interviews with speakers and organizers during or after the conference?

During the conference, the international media coverage was missed. At the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, there is a PR service, but our communication is bad. The PR persons didn't put information on the official BAS website for another important conference, organised by ISL and dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations on 23 October 2025.

Photo: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

This interview was prepared by Julian Müller