A blind couple – a Bulgarian and a Colombian got married in Dobrich after being refused in Burgas. This was revealed to Iskra.bg by groom, Dimo Karabashev.
He explained that he contacted the Registry Office in Burgas, where they requested a non-existent document – an extract from the Family Register issued by Colombia. However, according to Karabashev, such a document cannot be issued in Colombia.
The man visited the relevant institutions in Burgas three times, but without success. For this reason, he accused them of incompetence. In the seaside city, they even asked the couple to go to our embassy in Poland to certify that such a document cannot be issued in Colombia.
Dimo Karabashev also reached out to our consul responsible for Latin American countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also intervened, conducting an investigation into the relevant institutions in Burgas.
„Bulgaria has been a member of the Hague Convention since 1961, as has Colombia. Therefore, Bulgaria should recognize the legislative documents of the other country. And it does! Because I spoke with our consul, and he told me that electronic documents are recognized in Bulgaria! But apparently, they are not recognized in Burgas! However, after the MFA’s investigation, they are now recognized!“, Dimo Karabashev further stressed in his statement to Iskra.bg.
He also shared that it has been a month since the first conversation with the Registry Office in Burgas, which took place by phone from Colombia, and the subsequent in-person meeting:
„And I thought that someone must have lifted a finger and checked, and would then say that they were wrong and that documents from Colombia are recognized. It happens, but you have to admit that you’re not an expert in all legal systems!“
Fortunately, the case of Dimo Karabashev and his Colombian partner Esteysi Ortega had a happy ending, purely by chance. They decided to spend New Year’s Eve with a friend in Dobrich and called the local municipality to check if they would allow them to get married there.
It turned out that the officials in Dobrich were fully aware of the required documentation, including what could be issued by Colombia, and the happy event took place on January 3rd of this year. Dimo Karabashev and Esteysi Ortega said their long-awaited „I do!“ in the presence of their close family and friends, but not at the desired and dreamed-of location, namely the „St. Anastasia“ island, due to all the obstacles they encountered in Burgas.
Dimo Karabashev is determined to seek justice through legal means. He is set to have consultations with lawyers to advise him on the exact claim he should file against the institutions in Burgas.
[…] Blind couple – a Bulgarian and a Colombian got married in Dobrich: They were refused in Burgas! […]