2016 News of burqa ban in Bulgaria falsely shared as recent

On social media, news is going viral from Bulgaria. While sharing the news users claim that “Bulgaria approved a law banning the use of burqa in all public places and institutions, including schools and government offices. Women who violate the burqa ban face fines and deportation. The Bulgarian government stated that burqas pose a threat to national security”.

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Fact Check

On investigation, DFRAC found that this news dates back to 2016. According to the news, there are only fines, and no deportations for using the burqa. We found many media reports regarding the burqa ban in Bulgaria. According to a 2016 Reuters report, “The ‘burqa ban’ law, pushed by the nationalist Patriotic Front coalition, echoes similar measures in Western European countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Belgium which have various laws banning the wearing of niqab full-face veils or head-to-toe burqas”.

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Furthermore, we also found a report from Balkan Insight published on 30 Sept 2016 stating “The wearing of garments that cover the face will be fined in Bulgaria according to a new bill that MPs adopted”.

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Conclusion

It is evident from the DFRAC’s fact check that the news is from 2016 and there are no deportations for using the burqa. Therefore, the claim of social media users is misleading.