The Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) repealed a provision of the Data Retention in the Internet Regulation 11.12.2008
With a decision as of December 11, 2008 a five-member panel of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) repealed a provision of the Bulgarian Regulation # 40 transposing the Data Retention Directive (2006/24/EC) challenged by AIP.
Key amendments to the Bulgarian Access to Public Information Act were promulgated 05.12.2008
On December 5, 2008, key amendments to the Bulgarian Access to Public Information Act were promulgated. The amendments reflect necessary changes which AIP has formulated and recommended in 2007 and 2008 in its annual reports Access to Information in Bulgaria. They were introduced through two draft laws that according to the rules for the work of the National Assembly were combined before the parliamentarian vote. The amendments introduce extended scope of obliged bodies by including the regional offices of the central authorities; and bodies financed under EU programs and funds; the obligation for the provision of partial access to information; the obligation for proactive publication of information online; and the public interest test
Alexander Kashumov, Head of the AIP legal team, was recognized as the 2008 "Attorney of the Year" by the Legal World magazine. 02.12.2008
It is the second time the magazine presents the awards. The nominations are based on the results from two public opinion polls among judges and lawyers from the country. The magazine also performed a survey among journalists who cover the judiciary. Alexander Kashumov was nominated on the base of the results from that survey. The awards ceremony was held on December 2, 2009.
AIP held the sixth annual Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria 28.09.2008
On September 28, 2008 AIP held the sixth annual Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in BulgariaMore than 100 people attended. Special guests were Mr. Nikolay Vasilev, Minister of State Administration and Administrative Reform, Ms. Vera Illes, Programme Manager at The Management & Media Academy/Free Voice. Awards were given in seven categories - five positive and two negative.
"The Dual Life of Agent Piccadilly" 11.09.2008
On 11 September 2008 the journalist Hristo Hristov from Dnevnik newspaper presented his new book "The Dual Life of Agent Piccadilly." The book discloses unknown facts about the involvement of the Bulgarian communist secret services in the assassination of the BBC journalist Georgy Markov in London in 1978. The documents underlying the book were obtained through the Access to Public information Act and with the legal assistance of AIP.
Documentary Media and Access to Information - Five Investigative Reporter Stories 01.08.2008
Documentary Media and Access to Information - Five Investigative Reporter Stories was produced by a team of ProMedia - Broadcasting Training Center Foundation within the framework of the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria implemented by The Management&Media Academy/Free Voice and AIP with the financial support of the MATRA Programme of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The movie is accessible with subtitles in English and in Russian.
Annual Report Access to Information in Bulgaria 2007 09.05.2008
On May 9, 2008, Access to Information Programme (AIP) presented its Annual Report Access to Information in Bulgaria 2007 at a press conference held in the Bulgarian News Agency. The eight Report contains recommendations for improving the ATI legislation, the connected legislation and the practices within the Bulgarian public institutions; detailed analysis of last year's changes in ATI legislation and practices; characteristics of the cases that Access to Information Programme received for legal help during the year; results from a monitoring on the active provision of information by the institutions on their web sites; and an overview of the most interesting developments in the ATI court practices in 2007.
Access to Information on institutional web sites in Bulgaria- 2008 13.04.2008
Access to Information on institutional web sites in Bulgaria- 2008. For a third successive year, AIP conducted a study on the Internet sites of the institutions from the executive power. The purpose of the study, conducted by a group of reviewers from the AIP team, was to assess the level of development in the active provision of information on institutional Internet sites which is subject to publication by the institutions of the executive power in Bulgaria.
Access to Information Programme held a National Round Table (NRT) on March 14, 2008 14.03.2008
Access to Information Programme held a National Round Table (NRT) on March 14, 2008, Sofia.
Problems faced by nongovernmental organizations when they exercise their right of access to information were discussed and strategies for advocacy work in the area were be outlined at the forum.
Participants at the National Round Table discussed and adopted a Memorandum with specific recommendations for the improvement of the access to information situation in Bulgaria.
AIP held the annual meeting with the journalists from the coordinators’ network 08.02.2008
On February 8, 2008, in Sofia, AIP held the annual meeting with the journalists from the coordinators’ network.
An overview of key achievements of AIP during the past 2007 were made and the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, financed through the MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was presented to AIP coordinators, all of them journalists in the 26 regional town in the country.
Big Brother Awards Ceremony Held in Bulgaria 28.01.2008
On January 28, 2008, Access to Information Programme and Internet Society Bulgaria presented the the Big Brother Awards at a special ceremony held in the Center of Culture and Debate The Red House. The jury recognized two Bulgarian institutions for their extensive violation of the right to privacy and the protection of personal data: the Ministry of Interior and the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria.