UN Committee calls on Bulgaria to allow the registration of a Macedonian organization and to pay damages for the past rejections

The UN Human Rights Committee has called on Bulgaria to pay damages to an ethnic Macedonian citizen who was denied the right to establish an association.

The man is a co-founder of an non-profit who sought registration for his organization. But, the Bulgarian courts refused to register it, and did not provide a valid legal explanation. The applicant believes that the reason for this is the Bulgarian state policy to deny the existence of its Macedonian minority.

The UN Committee has called on Bulgaria to review the decisions of its courts and to provide appropriate compensation to the applicant, including covering his legal expenses, in a period of 180 days.