Article 21 Language of criminal proceedings

(1) Criminal proceedings shall be conducted in the Bulgarian language.(2) Persons who do not have command of the Bulgarian language can make use of their native or another language. An interpreter shall be appointed in this case.

Article 55

(3) (new - SG 32/10, in force from 28.04.2010) When the defendant person does not know Bulgarian, he shall be provided by translation in writing of the decree for bringing the accusations, of the determinations of the Court for imposing a restraining measure, of the act of indictment, of the judgment and of the decision of the Court of appeal in an understandable language.

Article 142 Interrogation of the accused party through a translator

or interpreter(1) Where the accused party does not speak the Bulgarian language, a translator shall be appointed.(2) Persons indicated under Article 148, paragraph (1), items 1 - 3, may not be translators.(3) For failure to appear or refusal to fulfil the work assigned, translators shall be held liable pursuant to Article 149, paragraph (5).(4) Where the accused party is deaf or dumb, an interpreter shall be appointed.(5) The provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) shall also apply to interpreters.

Article 189 Decision on costs

(2) Costs for translation during pre-trial proceedings shall be at the expense of the

respective body, and those during court proceedings shall be at the expense of the

court.

Article 10, paragraph 6 of the Convention

"Without prejudice to any measures agreed for the protection of the persons, the judicial authority of the

requested Member State shall on the conclusion of the hearing draw up minutes indicating the date and

place of the hearing, the identity of the person heard, the identities and functions of all other persons in the requested Member State participating in the hearing, any oaths taken and the technical conditions under

which the hearing took place."