On June 15, with 108 votes in favor and 8 votes against, the Bulgarian Parliament passed a bill banning the wearing of face veils in public places nationwide.

Accordingly, the ban on women covering all or part of their faces will be applied in all administrative, educational and social establishments, as well as in public and entertainment places such as resorts, parks, wharves, train stations or at cultural and sporting events.

Muslims in Bulgaria. Photo: BBC.

However, this ban will not apply to places of worship and private homes.

The bill was passed amid concerns that wearing full-face veils could pose a serious threat to national security. The ban was supported by Bulgaria's justice minister, interior minister and the head of the National Security Agency.

According to the draft law, first-time offenders will be fined 150 euros and second-time offenders will be fined 500 euros.

Previously, four major Bulgarian cities, Pazardzhik, Stara Zagoza, Sliven and Burgas, passed a similar ban.

Face veils are used mainly in Muslim countries. The Muslim community in Bulgaria currently has about 900,000 people, accounting for 13% of the country's population./.

According to VOV