On its last work day of 2018, the Bulgarian Parliament voted amendments in the nation’s Religious Denominations Act. A number of problematic provisions were pulled out of draft following local protests and international pressure.

According to the government, 508 Coptic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic churches have received its approval since February. At the same time, eleven churches were shut down.

Christians in Sofia expressed relief after very important changes were introduced in the proposed law after a key meeting of the Parliament's Committee for Religion and Human Rights with evangelicals and other religious groups. Parlamentarians will vote the rest of the law on Friday 21.

Eighty journalists were killed this year. “The hatred of journalists is voiced, and sometimes very openly proclaimed, by unscrupulous politicians” and “amplified by social networks”, a RSF report says.

Amid Advent worship services, Bulgarian evangelicals ended their civic rallies with a workday vigil on Thursday and a snow-flurry street protest on Sunday.

“I encourage companies, businesses, to promote religious freedom and diversity at the workplace”, says the EU Special Envoy for the promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief.

We should defend the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For, if we do not stand up against their erosion or redefinition, we will be consenting by default to enormous injustice.

Protests and prayers continue in Bulgaria for the sixth week.

Pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengd, Wang Yi, was  detained for allegedly “inciting subversion of state power”.

The Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief shortlisted 30 countries in the world where basic rights are violated. “We must do whatever is in our power to cherish, defend and promote this freedom”.

An interview with Pastor Vlady Raichinov, Vice President of the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance.

“Dozens of letters arrive in support to this cause, millions support us”, says the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance. Prayer vigils planned for the next days.

A CSW reports shows that Colombian Christians are suffering “restrictions on religious activity, threats, extortion, assassination and forced displacement”.

Up to 50 Christian schools and hospitals have been affected, and the military has kidnapped four churches. “We need peace and the UN intervention”, a Cameroonian Christian says.

The European Christian Political Movement adds pressure to the Bulgarian government. Christians across Bulgaria have been praying and protesting for the last four weeks.

More than 3,000 people prayed in Sofia in the third Sunday of rallies. The bill that would severely restrict religious freedom has not been passed yet.

The regional conference of the Ibero-American Congress for Life and Family responded peacefully to the attacks of gender ideology activists.

The Religious Liberty Commission of Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) denounces a “systematic campaign” against Christians. There have been 44 attacks in 2 months in Uttar Pradesh.

“We hope that one day soon our society can learn to accept people's differences and different points of view”, said White Magazine owners.

Bulgarian lawmakers concede some restrictions in a new Religion Denominations Act after international pressure and intensive protests. A new constraint however threatens the legal existence of many denominations.

Christians rallied in Sofia on November 18 to defend their rights. It is the second Sunday of peaceful demonstrations against a new religion draft law that could severely restrict religious freedom and rights of minority faith confessions.

Since 2016, local authorities have cut off the access to water of seventeen evangelical families because they had refused to contribute to the local Catholic festivities.

Italian evangelicals were part of an inititiative in support of the Pakistani Christian woman.

“We highly appreciate all the letters you sent to our government officials. We pray that they will consider them carefully”, says the President of the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance, Rumen Bordjiev.

The deal has not been published yet. Theresa May has summoned her cabinet to an emergency meeting this Wednesday to discuss it. One of the most contentious issues is the Northern Ireland “backstop”.