Institute for the State and the Law

The Institute for the State and the Law (ISL) was established in 1947 and is the only scientific unit in the system of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences which carries out fundamental and applied research in the field of law. It carries out active scientific-expert and consulting activities in support of the legislative, executive and judiciary authorities. ISL is part of the scientific division “Man and Society” of BAS.

The mission of ISL is manifested in its three main current priorities:

  • Supporting the law-making function of the state, the law enforcement, the activity of the judicial and the administrative bodies;
  • Research in the field of harmonization of Bulgarian law with EU law, in international public, private law and international relations;
  • Research on fundamental and practical problems of the legal system.

ISL was an active participant in the Bulgarian presidency of the Council of EU in cooperation with the government and the non-governmental sector. In June 2017, a conference “10 Years of Membership of the Republic of Bulgaria in the EU: Issues of Harmonization and Implementation of EU Law” was organized. The reports were published in a collection that was presented during the Bulgarian presidency.

The history of ISL is marked by the great scholars who worked in it: Academician Stefan Balamezov, Acad. Petko Staynov, Acad. Lyuben Vasilev, Acad. Stefan Pavlov, Acad. Kostadin Lyutov, Prof. Jivko Stalev, Prof. Petko Radoynov, corr.-member Prof. Neno Nenovski and others. A total of 35 prominent jurists – scientists and public figures – contributed to the establishment, development and validation of BAS as a scientific organization. Of these, five academicians and two corresponding members.

Research activity

The scientific research activity of ISL is devoted to current and important issues and practices of Bulgarian legal science as well as to the law of the European Union and international law. The scientific directions of the collective projects are as follows:

  • “Constitutional, Administrative and Sociological Problems of Law in Rulemaking”, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nadezhda Yonkova;
  • “Current Problems of Private Law”, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nikolay Kolev;
  • “Criminal Justice Measures in Countering Crime in Bulgaria”, led by Assoc. Prof. Gergana Marinova;
  • “Migration – Challenge to International Public Law, Private International Law and EU Law”, led by Prof. Dr. Irena Ilieva.
  • “Legal Regulation of the Activities of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Law of the EU and the Republic of Bulgaria. Harmonization or Disharmony?” led by Prof. Dr. Irena Ilieva.
Education

ISL prepares highly qualified researchers and PhD students in the field of legal science and for law education in various higher education institutions.

To date, 36 PhD students are trained at ISL, 3 of which are regular, 27 part-time and 1 – in an independent form of training under 8 accredited doctoral programs: Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Administrative Process, Legal Sociology. Legal Informatics, Civil and Family Law, Business / Commercial Law, International Law and International Relations, International Private Law and Criminal Procedure.

Other educational initiatives involving ISL are Master programs with universities (Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, University of Economics – Varna).

Contacts