MAY 19, 2004—The ECHR accepts a friendly settlement in the case of Lotter and Lotter v. Bulgaria; the government affirms Witnesses’ legal rights to practice their religion and to express their faith without interference

APRIL 16, 2003—Government recognizes the Memorial of Christ’s death as an official holiday of Jehovah’s Witnesses, allowing the Witnesses to take that day off from work

MARCH 6, 2003—Jehovah’s Witnesses are reregistered under the new Law for Religious Denominations

MAY 3, 2001—The ECHR accepts a friendly settlement in the case of one of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Stefanov v. Bulgaria); the government grants amnesty to conscientious objectors who are willing to perform alternative civilian service

OCTOBER 7, 1998—Jehovah’s Witnesses receive official registration in Bulgaria

MARCH 9, 1998—As part of a friendly settlement accepted by the European Commission of Human Rights (now replaced by the European Court of Human Rights [ECHR]), the Bulgarian government agrees to register Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religion

1994—Bulgaria revokes the registration of Jehovah’s Witnesses after passing a restrictive religion law

MAY 7, 1992—Bulgaria becomes the 26th member state of the Council of Europe

JULY 17, 1991—The State officially registers the Witnesses’ legal entity, Christian Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses

1944-1990—Under Communist rule, the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses is banned

MAY 6, 1938—Jehovah’s Witnesses receive legal recognition

1888—Earliest record of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Bulgaria