Judgment of Bulgarian Supreme Court (Върховен съд) No. 630, Civil Case No. 1832/2003 of July 28, 2004 (in H.T.E.K.Co.V.L.L., [Kuwait] v. Т. ЕAD [BUL])

Rationes Decidendi:

The recognition and enforcement of foreign court decisions and foreign arbitral awards represent separate proceedings provided for in the CCP [BUL]. The purpose of these proceedings is not to revisit the merits of the case, but to determine whether the foreign decision complies with the binding provisions of Bulgarian laws and regulations and with public policy.
The maximum length of arbitration proceedings (the time limit within which the arbitral award must be rendered) agreed by the parties cannot be unilaterally extended. This time limit cannot be unilaterally extended by the court of arbitration, nor by the arbitration tribunal.
An arbitral award rendered after the expiration of the time limit agreed by the parties is in breach of the procedure agreed by the parties and results in the expiration of the arbitration agreement (as a condition for arbitration) in consequence of the lapse of time.
The court dismisses the motion for the recognition and enforcement of a foreign arbitral award if the contents of the award and the procedure by which the award was rendered are in conflict with national public policy.
The breach of the principles governing adversarial proceedings and the failure to provide the space necessary for the defense of rights in the proceedings constitute a violation of public policy.