E/CN.4/1995/91 page 30 same time it has enabled a number of ’charismatic’ sects which are not recognized in other European countries and are negatively regarded in the rest of the world to become established in Bulgaria. Early in 1994, the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria adopted an act amending the Persons and Family Act, which was published in Official Bulletin No. 15/1994. The Persons and Family Act does not deal with worship, which is covered by the Worship Act, but with associations and foundations which represent non-profit-making bodies engaged in religious activities and religious education. The new article 133a of the above-mentioned Act concerning such associations and foundations reads as follows: ’Non-profit-making bodies which are engaged in an activity relating to worship, in a religious activity or in religious education shall be registered in accordance with the order set out in this chapter once the approval of the Council of Ministers has been obtained.’ In accordance with the transitional provisions of the Persons and Family Act, (1) ’The non-profit-making bodies referred to in article 133a which have already been registered shall obtain a new registration the application for which shall be filed by their governing bodies within the three months following the entry into force of this Act, with the approval of the Council of Ministers,’ and (2) ’The registration of non-profit-making bodies which do not comply with the conditions of the previous paragraph shall be withdrawn and their activities suspended.’ In amending the Persons and Family Act, legislators have endeavoured to prevent failure to comply with the Worship Act on the part of associations the objectives of which are concerned with worship, but whose statutes and activities infringe Bulgarian legislation. In implementation of the Persons and Family Act, the Council of Ministers approved a new registration procedure on 25 June 1994 for 22 religious associations previously registered as non-profit-making bodies under the said Act. As a result, on 25 June 1994, 30 denominations and 22 associations and foundations engaged in religious activity and religious education had been legally registered in Bulgaria (in 1989 4 denominations were registered). The associations and foundations which have not received the approval of the Council of Ministers for a new registration - a total of 24 - have statutes containing provisions which infringe Bulgarian legislation and thus are subject to the limitations referred to in article 9.2 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and reproduced in article 37.2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, or have submitted documents containing some irregularity. The Council of Ministers considers the registration documents in accordance with the procedure laid down by the law and its decisions, adopted following consultations with all the competent bodies