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Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency
June 10, 2013 – June 10, 2014
Financed by America for Bulgaria Foundation

The America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) assists in growing and strengthening a vibrant market economy and democratic society in Bulgaria, helping the country to realize its full potential as a successful, modern European nation. Founded in 2008, the ABF is a successor to the Bulgarian American Enterprise Fund, an investment fund created by the U.S. government acting through the U.S. Agency for International Development. The grants provided by ABF build on the legacy of goodwill and friendship that exists between the American people and the citizens of Bulgaria.

Support for Access to Information Programme Foundation is provided by the America for Bulgaria Foundation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the AIP and do not necessarily reflect the views of the America for Bulgaria Foundation or its affiliates.

 

The goals of the project are to:

  1. To increase active government transparency and accountability in several directions:
    - Budget and financial openness
    - Public procurement
    - Distribution of EU funds
    - City development plans
  2. To raise public awareness on online available public information, government data sets and public registers;
  3. To disseminate knowledge among active users/ journalists on how to use online available public information and government data sets as a tool for investigation and reporting and push for greater transparency and accountability of government;
  4. To advocate for improvement of active disclosure of public information and implementation of active transparency standards.

Activities:

  1. Monitoring of access to information provision practices, identifying problematic areas and providing recommendations for improvement
  2. Annual Audit on 490 institutional web sites with regard to active disclosure of public information on the base of developed AIP methodology
  3. Raising awareness on access to information legislation and implementation practices and triggering public debate on problematic issues
  4. Strengthening AIP country-wide network of coordinators, all of them journalists
  5. Dissemination of experience and exchange of knowledge on FOI monitoring and advocacy for greater transparency in national and international partners and networks

Results:

Information Days in Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil

On 29 and 30 May 2014, Access to Information Programme held the last two out of 10 Information Days in the towns of Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil respectively within the implementation of the project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency. 89 representatives of regional and local administration, NGOs, journalists, and citizens from the towns of Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil took part in the forum organized by AIP.

AIP Executive Director Gergana Jouleva presented the results from the 2014 audit on institutional web sites performed by AIP and particularly the state of the active transparency of the institutions in each of the two regions and their positions in the 2014 Active Transparency Rating. The Head of AIP legal team Alexander Kashumov presented specific cases and AIP assisted litigation under the Access to Public Information Act. AIP lawyer Darina Palova presented successful tactics for obtaining access to information from public bodies and from public registers and government data sets to journalists, NGOs, and activists. The participants were given on-spot legal help on specific access to information cases by the members of the AIP legal team.

Information and pictures from the meetings held in the towns of Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil were published and disseminated through AIP Monthly FOI Newsletter, May 2014 issue (in Bulgarian).

The project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency is supported with a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.


Information Days in Vidin and Pernik

On 8 and 25 April 2014, Access to Information Programme held Information Days in the towns of Vidin and Pernik respectively within the implementation of the project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency. AIP Executive Director Gergana Jouleva presented the results from the 2014 audit on institutional web sites performed by AIP and particularly the state of the active transparency of the institutions in each of the two regions and their positions in the 2014 Active Transparency Rating. The attorney-at-law of AIP legal team Kiril Terziiski presented specific cases and AIP assisted litigation under the Access to Public Information Act. AIP lawyer Darina Palova presented successful tactics for obtaining access to information from public bodies and from public registers and government data sets to journalists, NGOs, and activists. The participants were given on-spot legal help on specific access to information cases by the members of the AIP legal team.

Information and pictures from the meetings held in the towns of Vidin and Pernik were published and disseminated through AIP Monthly FOI Newsletter, April 2014 issue (in Bulgarian).

The project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency is supported with a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.


2014 Active Transparency Rating in Bulgaria

On April 2, 2014, at apress conference in Sofia, the Access to Information Programme presented the results of its 2014 Audit on Institutional web sites in Bulgaria. The updated 2014 Active Transparency Rating was launched and the first Budget, Financial Transparency and Integrity of Municipalities Map was launched. Although AIP performs the audit since 2006, all results are available in English for the first time.

The specific part of the audit focusing on Budget, Financial transparency and Integrity was performed within the project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency supported by a grant from the America for Bulgaria Foundation.


Information Days in Pazardzhik and Plovdiv

On 19 and 20 March 2014, Access to Information Programme held Information Days in the towns of Pazardzhik and Plovdiv within the implementation of the project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency. AIP Executive Director Gergana Jouleva presented the state of the active transparency of the institutions in each of the two regions on the base of AIP performed 2014 audit on institutional web sites and the launched Active Transparency Rating. The Head of AIP legal team Alexander Kashumov presented specific cases and AIP assisted litigation under the Access to Public Information Act. AIP lawyer Fany Davidova presented successful tactics for obtaining access to information from public bodies and from public registers and government data sets to journalists, NGOs, and activists. The participants were given on-spot legal help on specific access to information cases by the members of the AIP legal team.

Information and pictures from the meetings held in the towns of Pazardzhik and Plovdiv were published and disseminated through AIP Monthly FOI Newsletter, March 2014 issue (in Bulgarian).

The project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency is supported with a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.


Information Days in Vratsa and Montana

110 Representatives of Regional and Local Administration, NGOs, journalists, and citizens from the towns of Vratsa and Montana took part in the forum organized by AIP

On 12 and 13 November 2013, Access to Information Programme held Information Days in the towns of Vratsa and Montana within the implementation of the project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency. AIP Executive Director Gergana Jouleva presented the state of the active transparency of the institutions in each of the two regions on the base of AIP performed 2013 audit on institutional web sites and the 2013 Active Transparency Rating. The attorney-at-law of AIP legal team Kiril Terziiski presented specific cases and AIP assisted litigation under the Access to Public Information Act. Darina Palova, also an attorney from AIP legal team presented successful tactics for obtaining access to information from public bodies and from public registers and government data sets to journalists, NGOs, and activists. The participants were given on-spot legal help on specific access to information cases by the members of the AIP legal team.

Information and pictures from the meetings held in the towns of Pleven and Lovech were published and disseminated through AIP Monthly FOI Newsletter, November 2013 issue.

The project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency is supported with a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.


Information Days in Pleven and Lovech

Over 100 Representatives of Regional and Local Administration, NGOs, journalists, and citizens from the towns of Pleven and Lovech Took Part in the Forum Organized by AIP

On 17 and 18 October 2013, Access to Information Programme held Information Days in the towns of Pleven and Lovech within the implementation of the project AIP - Civil Center for Support of Transparency. AIP Executive Director Gergana Jouleva presented the state of the active transparency of the institutions in each of the two regions on the base of AIP performed 2013 audit on institutional web sites and the launched Active Transparency Rating. The Head of AIP legal team Alexander Kashumov presented specific cases and AIP assisted litigation under the Access to Public Information Act. Successful tactics for obtaining access to information from public bodies and from public registers and government data sets were additionally presented to journalists, NGOs, and activists. The participants were given on-spot legal help on specific access to information cases by the members of the AIP legal team.

Information and pictures from the meetings held in the towns of Pleven and Lovech were published and disseminated through AIP Monthly FOI Newsletter, October 2013 issue.

The project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency is supported with a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.


AIP Held the 11th Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria

Access to Information Programme held the 11th Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony on 28 September 2013. A hundred FOI activists from Sofia and the country gathered at the National Pressclub of the Bulgarian News Agency. A special guest to the ceremony was Mr. Toby McIntosh, executive editor of Freedominfo.org. The 2013 Right to Know Day Awards Jury selected the winners in six categories out of 39 nominations received through the special web site www.RightToKnowDay.net, AIP e-mail or sent by AIP coordinators in the country.

All nominations and information about the 2013 Right to Know Day awardees is available on the special web site: www.righttoknowday.net.

The organization and holding of the 2013 Right to Know Day Awards ceremony is possible within the implementation of the project Access to Information Programme – Civil Center for Support of Transparency supported by a grant from the America for Bulgaria Foundation.



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English Version • Last Update:
08.05.2014 • © 1999 Copyright by Interia & AIP