Bulgaria 1991 Constitution (reviewed 2015)

Chapter IX. Amendments to the Constitution, Adoption of a New Constitution

Article 153

The National Assembly shall be free to amend all provisions of the Constitution except those within the prerogatives of the Grand National Assembly.

Article 154

1. The initiative to introduce a constitutional amendment bill shall belong to one quarter of the Members of the National Assembly and to the President.
2. An amendment bill shall be debated by the National Assembly not earlier than one month and not later than three months from the date on which it is introduced.

Article 155

1. A constitutional amendment shall require a majority of three quarters of the votes of all Members of the National Assembly in three ballots on three different days.
2. A bill which has received less than three quarters but more than two-thirds of the votes of all Members shall be eligible for reintroduction after not fewer than two months and not more than five months. To be passed at this new reading, the bill shall require a majority of two-thirds of the votes of all Members.

Article 156

An amendment to the Constitution shall be signed and promulgated in State Gazette by the Chairperson of the Grand National Assembly within seven days of being passed.

Article 157

A Grand National Assembly shall consist of 400 Members elected according to the election law in force.

Article 158

A Grand National Assembly shall:

1. Adopt a new Constitution;
2. Resolve on any changes in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria and ratify any international treaty envisaging such a change.
3. Resolve on any changes in the form of State structure or form of government;
4. Resolve on any amendment to Article 5 paras 2 and 4 and Article 57 paras 1 and 3 of this Constitution;
5. Resolve on any amendment to Chapter nine of the Constitution.

Article 159

1. Only the President or at least half of the Members of the Grand National Assembly have the right to introduce an amendment bill pursuant to the preceding Article.
2. The draft of a new constitution or a proposed amendment to the existing Constitution, and any bill to introduce a change in the territory of the country pursuant to Article 158 shall be debated by the National Assembly not earlier than two months and not later than five months from the date on which it is introduced.

Article 160

1. A resolution by the National Assembly announcing elections for a Grand National Assembly shall require a majority of two-thirds of the votes of all Members.
2. The President shall schedule the elections for a Grand National Assembly within three months of the National Assembly’s resolution being passed.
3. The mandate of the National Assembly shall expire with the holding of the elections for a Grand National Assembly.

Article 161

To pass a bill, the Grand National Assembly shall require a majority of two-thirds of the votes of all Members, in three ballots on three different days.

Article 162

1. A Grand National Assembly shall resolve only on the constitutional amendment bills for which it has been elected.
2. In an emergency, a Grand National Assembly shall further perform the functions of a National Assembly.
3. The prerogatives of a Grand National Assembly shall expire after it resolves on all matters for which it has been elected. The President shall then schedule elections by a procedure established by law.

Article 163

An Act of the Grand National Assembly shall be signed and promulgated in State Gazette by the Assembly’s Chairperson within seven days of it being passed.