“The development of Bulgaria's Criminal law is not over, even though its foundations had already been laid down”, Tsetska Tsacheva said during the opening of the international scientific conference: “Criminal Law – Traditions and Future”. The forum is dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the adoption of Bulgaria’s Criminal Act in 1896. The conference was organized by the Criminal Law Department of the Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridski” University Law School.

Today, again, we face the challenge to have to draw a new criminal code. This task would be easier if we could reach a consensus on a national criminal policy doctrine, which could serve as base for the new set of rules. According to Tsetska Tsacheva politicians should come to accept the fact that the body of national criminal law, despite its conservative aspects, could not remain completely within the limits of a sole state, due to the impact of the many international treaties to which Bulgaria is party.

“Our national criminal legislation should reflect the international standards in a way to provide guarantees against the heavy transnational crimes, such as money laundering, organized crime, human trafficking, smuggling of arms  and drugs and last but not least against terrorism”, the chair of parliament stated. In her words these crimes are putting to test the 120 years long history of our criminal law system. "It is necessary to adopt  adequate legal regulations as well as an effective law enforcement system which does not extricate heavy criminal offenders from just punishment," she added.
 . 
The Criminal Act of 1896  had the task to elaborate a complete legislation in a complicated law sphere, in a time when the country was lacking traditions in legislating and an experience of its own in criminal law. She pointed out that the Criminal Act of 1896 had been applied until 1951 and many of the principles on which it has been based were still valid today, 120 years later.