Criminal law in Bulgaria

Bulgarian substantive criminal law is centered on the Наказателен кодекс, meaning Criminal Code. It defines criminal offenses, forms of responsibility, possible penalties, and circumstances that can affect liability. Criminal procedure governs how authorities establish facts and make decisions. The process may involve an initial report, investigative measures, collection of evidence, prosecutorial review, a court case, and review by a higher court. Police and investigative bodies perform many evidence-gathering tasks. The prosecutor supervises or directs important parts of the pre-trial process and decides whether the evidence supports bringing an accusation before a court. The court independently decides the case presented to it. The prosecution must prove criminal responsibility under the required standard, and the accused benefits from the presumption of innocence. Bulgarian procedure uses distinct terms for a person at different stages. An обвиняем is a formally accused person in the pre-trial phase, while подсъдим commonly refers to a defendant whose criminal case is before the trial court. A suspected or accused person has important defense rights. These include understanding the accusation, using legal counsel, presenting or challenging evidence, and receiving interpretation when legally required. Victims can report suspected offenses and may have procedural rights to information, protection, participation, or compensation. Their exact role depends on the offense and the stage of proceedings. Evidence may include testimony, documents, expert opinions, electronic material, physical objects, and procedural records. Lawful collection and reliable preservation matter because not every allegation or private recording has the same evidential value. Penalties can include imprisonment, probation, fines, and other legal consequences. Criminal responsibility is different from civil compensation, although the same event may produce both a criminal case and a claim for damage.