Proceedings of Scientific Conference. TECHNOLOGY AND LAW

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ISBN 978-619-7768-49-7

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IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO WORK GUARANTEED IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Goleva, Polya
This article advocates the opinion that the right to work, recognized as a fundamental right of every person, is becoming increasingly difficult to exercise in the Republic of Bulgaria, despite its formal enshrinement in the Constitution. The state not only fails to guarantee its realization, but also does not create the necessary conditions for its enforcement. The article indicates the main obstacles to the right to work, but the emphasis is placed on the digitalization of labor and the introduction of artificial intelligence. Author’s special attention is paid to two of the most essential professions in any society, including Bulgaria – medicine and law. Artificial intelligence and related applications are displacing and rendering individual human labour in-creasingly unnecessary, which negatively affects the right to work. At this stage of development, technologies, software programs, ChatGPT, Zoom, Skype, Copilot, and many other forms of artificial intelligence still play a supporting role and do not yet pose an obvious threat of unemployment. However, the growing obsolescence of highly skilled labour and the loss of human relevance in the competition with increas-ingly advanced technologies should soon be expected.
CRIMINAL-LAW NATURE OF CRIMINALISTICS
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Kunchev, Yonko
Criminalistics is part of the system of criminal law sciences. Its subject includes the methodology (theory and methods derived from it) for the collection and expert examination of evidence in the criminal process. In accordance with its subject matter, forensics scientifically assists in uncovering the objective truth in the criminal proceedings. Criminalistics is based on criminal and criminal procedural law and contributes to the improvement of criminal procedural institutions. The legal foundations of criminalistics also include a number of by-laws (for automated identification systems, police registration, investigation procedures, international cooperation for the exchange of dactyloscopic data, and more. Competence in criminalistics within pre-trial proceedings and by the court is one of the key prerequisites for the effectiveness of the criminal process. Criminalistics is institutionalized through criminalistics laboratories, institutes, and academic forums, and international exhibitions on forensic techniques. According to the Treaty on European Union (Art. 30, Para 1) and the Lisbon Treaty, member states are committed to police cooperation in the field of criminalistics.
ABOUT THE SOCIAL RIGHTS OF CITIZENS IN A VULNERABLE MATERIAL SITUATION AND SURVIVAL TECHNOLOGIES
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Genova, Yaroslava
The article examines issues related to the technologies for material survival of the poorest citizens in Bulgaria, both in terms of the legal framework and the actual social reality. In theory, the social system of a welfare state - which, according to the preamble of Bulgarian Constitution, our State is intended to be - is expected to function as a safety net, ensuring that no one falls below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. In practice, however, there are poor citizens covered by the welfare system who still remain poor, as well as citizens outside the system, who are forced to develop their own survival technologies.
ON STIGMAS, DOGMAS AND PERSPECTIVES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN LAW
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Doncheva, Daniela; Salkova, Ekaterina
Acquisition of higher legal education and legal education itself have always been topics of public importance and therefore widely discussed, with extremely polarized opinions on all issues – the number of existing faculties in our country, the quality of education in them, the value and strength of traditions and the need for change. However, more than 30 years have passed in controversy over fundamental or non-fundamental issues, during which time many faculties in this country have been educating and training future lawyers not only without a final decision on any of the issues but also without the possibility of future predictability. In these years of uncertainty and ambiguity, the only constant has been the rising and multiplying expectations, requirements, and conditions that law schools, their faculty, and their trainees and graduate students must meet. Thus, they all become hostages in the ‘battle’ between the stigmas and dogmas of the past and the new realities, but especially the challenges of the future technological world to which we must be relevant and to which we must respond.
IMPLEMENTATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Paunov, Hristo; Paligorova, Victoria
The report examines the implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the legislative process of the Republic of Bulgaria. The analysis focuses on the legal framework regulating the use of ICT in the development, discussion, and adoption of normative acts, while also emphasizing its role in enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of lawmaking. The report outlines the key normative acts governing the application of ICT in the legislative process. Special attention is given to the procedures set forth in the Law on Normative Acts and the possibility for electronic public consultations and participation of citizens and stakeholders in the drafting of normative documents. The use of ICT in this context is seen as a tool for facilitating communication between institutions, citizens, and businesses. At the same time, the report addresses challenges related to data security, personal information protection, and cybersecurity in the electronic administration of the legislative process.
THE DIGITIZATION PROCESS OF SOURCES OF ROMAN LAW AND LEGAL HISTORY AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE AUTHENTICITY OF THEIR DIGITAL COPIES
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Todorov, Methody
The digitization of sources for the study of Roman law and legal history is a process that began at the end of the 20th century. However, even today it is not complete, and its development poses new problems. Particularly significant is the question of the correspondence between the manuscript or printed text of a source and its digital copy. Difficulties arise with regard to the nature of the sources and especially their physical medium: papyrus, paper, stone, or bronze. This paper discusses the possibilities offered by modern technology for the satisfactory digital reproduction of sources for research purposes and the problem of whether, in contemporary epigraphy, papyrology, and codicology, it is possible to replace the original source with its digital copy – and under what conditions this is feasible.
DATASETS UNVEILED: CHALLENGES IN TRAINING AI FOR THE SECURITY DOMAIN
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Dimitrov, George; Kozhuharova, Denitsa
The rapid evolution of technology, and the recently adopted legal frame-work at the European Union level, poses significant challenges for both deployers and providers of AI-based systems. Ensuring the quality of datasets used to train artificial intelligence is crucial for meeting the requirements of robustness, transparency, and accuracy. It is essential to verify the origin and method of collection or creation of these datasets, as well as the mechanisms though which they are used to train AI models. These steps are mandatory to ensure the ethical and legally compliant development of AI systems. In the security domain, AI-based systems are increasingly employed by law enforcement agencies for operational purposes and the maintenance of public order. These systems are often classified as high-risk due to their substantial impact on individual privacy, particularly through profiling and the use of big data (point 6, Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). Therefore, it is imperative to ensure data protection by design and to establish appropriate legal requirements for the development of such software.
PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL ERA: CHALLENGES IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW REGARDING THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Rogoshev, Todor
The article examines the balance between the right to privacy and national security in the digital era. It analyzes constitutional and international legal standards for the protection of privacy, as well as the case law of the Constitutional Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Attention is given to the challenges of cybersecurity, mass data collection, and the need for proportionate measures. In conclusion, the importance of preventive solutions and cooperation between the state and the private sector is emphasized in order to achieve a sustainable balance between security and fundamental rights.
ELECTRONIC VOTING AND DISCRIMINATION
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Deliev, Blagoy
The relationship between equality and freedom is indicative of the elections such as technology and law. The article focuses on the challenges related to accessibility and the inclusion of different forms of electronic voting, and how these relate to equality. On the one hand, new technological perspectives contribute to counteracting various irregularities in the electoral process, and on the other hand, they create new ones. The future development of the tools through which democracy is implemented must not come at the cost of perpetuating long-standing social problems.
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES CONCLUDED THROUGH DIGITAL MEANS: EXAMPLES AND PERSPECTIVES
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Bakyov, Georgi
The digitization of international treaty-making has introduced a new dynamic to global diplomacy, enabling states and organizations to conclude agreements far more effectively through electronic means. This report examines notable examples of international treaties concluded digitally, focusing on the legal, technical and operational implications of such agreements. Furthermore, it explores future perspectives on the role of digital platforms in facilitating international cooperation and the potential challenges they pose.
SOME TECHNOLOGIES TO INCREASE VOTING ACTIVITY IN BULGARIA
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Yordanova, Zornitsa
The report examines some of the problematic aspects of the normative regulation in Bulgaria concerning elections and referenda and proposes possibilities for changes in the legislation with a view to increase Bulgarian voters’ activity. Given the significant decline in the percentage of Bulgarian citizens voting in recent years, one of the most important tasks of the National Assembly is to identify the optimal methods to guarantee not only the full realization of the voting rights of citizens, but also the actual respect of their political will.
DATA TRANSFER IN THE EU AND TOWARDS THIRD COUNTRIES
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Al-Shargabi, Zhanin; Uchkunov, Nikola
The protection of personal data stands out as one of the most pressing topics of the last decade. The issue of its processing and transfer is multifaceted, and protecting personal data is not only the responsibility of states, which must safeguard the fundamental rights of their citizens, but also requires a more comprehensive review of the obligations imposed on the private sector. While relative clarity has emerged in recent years regarding practices at the national and European levels, the issue of data transfers to third countries is still open. This paper aims to examine the applicable data protection standards at European level, as well as the practices concerning data transfers to third countries. There is ongoing concern about whether other jurisdictions with close economic relations with Europe, such as the US, China, Saudi Arabia, etc., maintain sufficiently strict regimes to protect users’ personal information. How, then, should a data controller proceed when transferring data to partners in a third country to provide service? What are the hidden risks associated with new technologies, such as cloud services, where data transfers may not be fully traceable? This paper will address these and other relevant questions. Last but not least, building on existing legislative initiatives, the paper will also propose a standard for data protection in transfers to third countries.
REDEFINING THE EU APPROACH TO REGULATING DIGITAL AND MEDIA SERVICES
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Yurukova, Mariya
The persistent, rapid pace of development of new technologies and the increasing use of digital services in people’s everyday life have placed the law in a constantly reactive position. In recent years, in the search for a balance between managing digital space and protecting the right to freedom of expression, the European Union has undertaken a series of ambitious new legislative reforms. Their main goal is to ensure an adequate informational environment in the digital age – one that fosters technological innovation and, by extension, economic growth, while simultaneously upholding the public interest and the fundamental rights of European citizens. This report advances the central hypothesis that the European Union is introducing a more centralized approach to the regulation of both digital and media services, with the dual aims of harmonising the internal market and mitigating legal fragmentation across Member States. The analysis focuses on the Digital Services Act and the European Media Freedom Act, seeking to elucidate the EU’s regulatory approach in these do-mains. The report highlights critical parallels between the two legislative instruments, particularly regarding their implementation mechanisms, including the establishment of new supranational regulatory bodies. Furthermore, it examines the opportunities and challenges arising from this regulatory paradigm, with particular emphasis on its implications for foundational EU principles, such as subsidiarity.
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MEDICINE IF THE FUTURE – LEGAL ASPECTS
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Ilieva, Antonia
In modern society, technological innovations and advancements have occupied a leading place from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. The most tangible innovations in technology are registered in health care, pharmacy, administrative activity, the automotive industry, architectural planning, housing construction, energy, etc. The Covid-19 pandemic and the pressure of the spread of the virus worldwide strained health systems to the limit. The restrictive measures that were introduced suspended the scheduled admission of patients, surgical interventions, as well as overall access to medical and health facilities. The conclusions reached by health authorities worldwide, after the peak of the pandemic has passed, can be summarized as follows - there is an urgent need to introduce accelerated digitization of the health system, regulatory measures, and the active introduction of telemedicine into the health system, as well as the implementation of digital health technologies that would have a positive impact on the monitoring of patients with chronic conditions. Undoubtedly, their implementation would lead to a reduction in costs and an increase in access to health services.
A GIFT OR ANY OTHER UNDUE BENEFIT TO THE OFFICIAL UNDER ART. 301, PARA. 1 OF THE CRIMINAL CODE
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Koseva, Darina
The object of passive bribery under Art. 301, para. 1 of the Criminal Code is defined in the disposition of the legal norm as ‘a gift or any undue benefit’ to the official. The analysis of the provision under Art. 301, para. 1 of the Criminal Code presupposes conclusions regarding the specifics of the object of passive bribery – the gift is considered a bribe, which is different from the benefit. Unlike the gift, the benefit is subject to a regulatory requirement to be undue, and it is defined as ‘any’ benefit (both material and immaterial in nature). The development of technologies and the diversity of immaterial benefits in the modern world pose a number of challenges to those interpreting and applying the legal framework on bribery – the lack of clear criteria for distinguishing a gift from a benefit, the difficulty in determining the monetary value of immaterial benefits, the issue of their suitability, the hypothesis of accepting such benefits, the impossibility of confiscating immaterial benefits under Art. 307a of the Criminal Code, and the inability of such benefits to serve as revealing circumstances of an act under Art. 301, para. 1 of the Criminal Code.
PROTOCOL UNDER ARTICLE 50 OF THE TAX AND SOCIAL INSURANCE PROCEDURE CODE
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Petrov, Nedyalko
This report examines the role of the protocol under Article 50 of the Tax and Social Insurance Procedure Code in proving facts in tax proceedings. It analyzes the individual elements of the protocol and their significance for establishing facts and circumstances in the process. An analysis of the evidential strength of the protocol is conducted, taking into account the requirements for its preparation and the implications of missing elements. Attention is also given to the drafting of a protocol when collecting data from technical media. Additionally, the preparation of a protocol for securing evidence is discussed.
THE APPLICATION OF COMPUTER SIMULATION IN CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIMENT
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Torlozov, Kristiyan
The mode of economy when performing investigative actions is related to the professionalism of persons performing investigative actions, the participation of the necessary specialists to perform investigative actions, and the technical means that facilitate the conduct of the investigative experiment. During the investigative experiment, not only the reproduction of any phenomenon or fact is carried out, but also the production of actions similar to those under investigation, and the creation of a model of a fact, event, or phenomenon. By using computer-generated simulations of the situation at the scene of the accident, significant state resources can be saved in the investigation of crimes, while advanced technology at the same time provides a significant guarantee of revealing the objective truth.
ON THE NEED FOR REFORM IN THE SYSTEM OF PUNISHMENTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Ranchev, Ivan
This report examines certain issues related to the system of sanctions in Bulgarian criminal law that necessitate reform. Attention is given to the need to abolish the most severe punishment – life imprisonment without parole; to the alarming trends regarding the most frequently imposed punishment - imprisonment; to the underestimated importance of probation, property sanctions, and deprivation of rights; as well as to the lack of relevance, under modern conditions, of the lightest form of punishment – public censure.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES AND THEIR TAXATION
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Yanev, Petar
This study examines the most frequently raised questions regarding the taxation of income from trading cryptocurrencies by individuals or legal entities. Attention is given to the methods of income declaration, as well as the legal framework regulating public relations related to cryptocurrency trading. The legislation of some Member States of the European Union is analyzed, and a comparative legal review is made between the different aspects within these countries.
IS THE EMPLOYER’S CONTROL BY TECHNICAL MEANS OVER THE EMPLOYEES’ BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING IN AN ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT ADMISSIBLE AND NECESSARY?
(Plovdiv University Press, 2025-12-15) Aleksandrov, Andrey
New information and communication technologies not only allow but also make it inevitable that an increasing number of work duties are performed online. In this respect, the first regulation of its kind in EU legislation on the working conditions of platform workers (or the so-called Platform Workers Directive) is also indicative. Although beyond the scope of this study, it stands as indisputable proof of the importance of Internet communication today – something that only a few decades ago seemed like science fiction. A huge number of people around the world, including in our country, spend all or almost all of their working time in front of a computer or other electronic device, communicating predominantly with colleagues, managers, and third parties in an electronic environment. This situation necessitates an ongoing discussion about the limits of employer control over employee behaviour online. Formulated more generally, this question can also be put as follows: how far does the employer’s freedom to control his employees by technical means extend?

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