The Tarnovo Constitution (Bulgarian: Търновска конституция) was the first constitution of Bulgaria.
It was adopted on 16 April 1879 (O.S.) by the Constituent National Assembly held in Veliko Tarnovo as part of the establishment of the Principality of Bulgaria. It remained the fundamental law of Bulgaria after the country was elevated to a kingdom in 1908.
Alexander Joseph GCB (Bulgarian: Александър I Батенберг; 5 April 1857 – 17 November 1893), known as Alexander of Battenberg, was the first prince (knyaz) of the autonomous Principality of Bulgaria from 1879 until his abdication in 1886.
The Bulgarian Grand National Assembly elected him as Prince of autonomous Bulgaria in 1879. He dissolved the assembly the following year and suspended the Constitution in 1881, considering it too liberal. He restored the Constitution in 1883, leading to open conflict with Russia that made him popular in Bulgaria. Unification with Eastern Rumelia was achieved and recognised by the powers in 1885. A coup carried out by pro-Russian Bulgarian Army officers forced him to abdicate in September 1886. He later became a general in the Austrian army.
The Ministry of Finance (Bulgarian: Министерство на финансите) of Bulgaria was established in 1879 in accordance with the Tarnovo Constitution. The Ministry is responsible for formulating and implementing the budget and the fiscal and financial policy of Bulgaria. As of April 2024 the Finance Minister of Bulgaria is Temenuzhka Petkova.
A referendum on becoming a republic was held in Bulgaria on 8 September 1946. Official results showed 96% in favour of the change against only 4% in favour of retaining the monarchy, with voter turnout reported to be 92%. The monarchy had effectively ended soon after the coup of 9 September 1944, which saw the Fatherland Front seize power. At that time, the regency council for the head of state, Tsar Simeon II, was replaced by a new council made up entirely of members of the Bulgarian Communist Party, the dominant force of the Fatherland Front.
On paper, the referendum was unconstitutional according to the Tarnovo Constitution still in force at the time. Under the Tarnovo Constitution, the state system could not be changed by a referendum. The only constitutional way to do so was by convening a Grand National Assembly, which could only take place at the tsar's initiative.