A landmark ruling in Bulgaria last week could open the gates to usher in same-sex marriage in the Balkan country.
On July 24, a Bulgarian court ruled that Cristina Palma, an Australian who is living and working in Bulgaria with her wife, Mariama Dialo, who is French, was granted the right to continue living and working in the country.
It was a two-year legal battle for the couple, who had been together for 15 years before getting married in France in 2016. They later moved to Bulgaria.
Bulgaria has been a member of the European Union since 2007. The ruling is in accordance with the 2018 European Court of Justice Ruling that EU nations must recognize same-sex marriages from other member states, even if the country hasn’t legalized same-sex marriage.
Same-sex marriage is constitutionally banned in Bulgaria.
The couple’s lawyer, Denitsa Lyubenova, and representatives of Sofia Pride believe the ruling could be an important first step toward legalizing same-sex marriage in Bulgaria.
“It gives hope to all same-sex couples, regardless of their citizenship, that their families will be recognized in Bulgaria,” organizers said in a statement from Sofia Pride in response to the ruling.
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