http://www.aip-bg.org/en/RSS News from Access to Information Programme.en-usWed, 22 May 2013 14:46:20 UTCWed, 22 May 2013 14:46:20 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/The_APIA_Equals_the_Information_Contained_in_a_Document_and_/20130508003076/ This was the judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court for the repealing of a decision of the Administrative court – Targovishte, as well as the refusal of the Targovishte Municipality mayor to provide a copy of the contract for sale of a municipal real-estate property (a former market place) to a private company.  Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/The_Supreme_Administrative_Court_upheld_the_Decision_of_the_/20130508005512/ The request was filed in September 2011 by the Chief Editor of Republika daily Petio Blaskov. He demanded information ralated to the installment of measuring instruments in excise customs warehouses. Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/Support_the_Call_for_Investigation_of_a_Threat_Against_a_Ren/20130429004365/ At a press conference held on April 23, 2013 in Sofia, human rights advocates, public figures, and journalists made public their Call towards the Chief Directorate for Combating  Organized Crime, the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to fulfill their duties and find the authors of a death threat addressed towards the investigative journalist Hristo Hristov and his family. Hristo Hristov is the founder and author of the web site www.desebg.com where hе publishes results of his research of the archives of the former State Security Services and the investigations related to the communist past of Bulgaria. Hristov is also an author of a number of books – result of his research in the archives of the secret services of the former communist regime: http://hristo-hristov.com/. If you would like to support the Call, please send an e-mail to diana@aip-bg.org with your name and affiliation/profession. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/AIP_presented_the_Annual_Report_Access_to_Information_in_Bul/20130328008173/ On March 28, 2013 Access to Information Programme presented its annual report Access to Information in Bulgaria 2012 at a presconference in the Bulgarian News Agency. The thirteen report contains recommendations for facilitating the access to information and increasing the transparency and accountability of the public administration; analysis of the effective access to information legislation; results from the 2013 AIP audit on the active disclosure of public information online by the executive bodies; analyses of the access to information cases referred to AIP for legal help; an overview of the most interesting developments in the FOI litigation in 2012. Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/Results_of_2013_AIP_Audit_on_Institutional_Web_Sites/20130315001703/ The Access to Information Programme presents the analysis of the results of its 2013 Audit on Institutional web sites in Bulgaria. The audit was performed within the period 7 – 25 January 2013. A team of AIP reviewed and evaluated 489 web sites of 490 executive bodies at a central, regional, and local level, and also public-law entities and 7 independent state bodies. 490 electronic requests were filed for a copy of the last public procurement contract signed by the institution in 2012.  Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/The_Ministry_of_Environment_and_Waters_Should_Provide_Access/20130308009248/ By a decision of 19 February 2013, the ACSC repealed the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) refusal to provide access to information on the project “Technical assistance for the establishment of a system for integrated waste management in the Yambol region”, financed under Operational Programme Environment 2007 – 2013.  The court held that there was overriding public interest in providing the information since it concerns allocation and spending of funds from the EU and the state budget.  Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/The_Names_of_the_Members_of_the_Election_Commissions_Are_not/20130308005674/ This was the conclusion of the Supreme Administrative Court on a case initiated by the journalist Diana Boncheva from Yambol Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/AIP_Launched_the_2013_Active_Transparency_Rating_for_Bulgari/20130306009448/ On February 27, 2013 Access to Information Programme (AIP) presented the results from its audit on institutional web sites and the 2013 Active Transparency Rating at a press conference held at the Bulgarian News Agency. The aim of the audit, which AIP performs since 2006, is to evaluate how the executive bodies fulfill their obligations for proactive publication of information online under the Access to Public Information Act and other legal regulations and to assess their readiness to respond to electronic requests. On the base of the indicators, AIP launched an updated 2013 Active Transparency Rating.  Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/Public_information_private_life_and_public_interest/109815/1000860746/ Commentary with regard to balancing the right of access to information and the right to private life in the case of a journalist requesting the CCTV records from the self-immolation of a citizen from the city of Varna during the massive protests which took place throughout Bulgaria in February-March 2013 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/The_story_of_a_duel/109815/1000351803/ The attempt of the members of the parliament to adopt unacceptable amendments to the Public Disclosure of Senior Public Officials’ Financial Interests Act in absolute lack of transparency Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/Are_legislative_amendments_necessary_for_an_enhanced_access_/109815/1000393463/ Summary of the analysis published in AIP annual report Access to Information in Bulgaria 2012 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/Transparency_and_civil_participation_remain_problematic/109815/1000001857/ AIP annual report Access to Information in Bulgaria 2012 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/The_Municipality_these_are_the_people_is_not_a_cliche_This_i/109815/1000251707/ Interview with Detelina Nikolova, Mayor of the Municipality of Dobrich, which ranks first in AIP annual audit on institutional web sites transparency for a second year Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/Developments_on_FOI_cases/109815/1000789981/ Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/publications/newsletter/Environmentalists_stopped_illegal_cutting_of_trees_with_the_/109815/1000557993/ Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/AIP_Held_the_Annual_Meeting_with_its_Country_Wide_Coordinato/20130215009534/ On February 15, 2013 in Sofia, Access to Information Programme (AIP) held the annual meeting with the journalists of its country-wide coordinators' network. AIP Executive Director Gergana Jouleva presented key achievements from AIP advocacy activities in 2012, summarized in AIP organizational annual report (in Bulgarian). The 2013 goals and challenges before AIP and the coordinators' network were outlined.  Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/The_Supreme_Administrative_Court_upheld_the_Decision_of_the_/20130208009806/ The case is related to the refusal the citizen Lazar Lazarov got after filing a request for information concerning the procedure for approving the expansion of the airfield in the village of Lesnovo.  Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/2013_Big_Brother_Anti_awards_in_Bulgaria/20130129006208/ Access to Information Programme (AIP) and Internet Society Bulgaria held the Big Brother Anti-awards ceremony in Bulgaria on January 28, 2013, 12.00, at the National Presscenter of the Bulgarian News Agency. The anti-awards are given to government institutions, private companies, or individuals, who have done the most to invade personal privacy.  Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/AIP_recognized_by_the_Bulgarian_National_Audit_Office_for_co/20130115009190/ On January 15, 2013 the President of the Bulgarian National Audit Office Prof. Valeriy Dimitrov presented to Access to Information Programme Executive Director Ms. Gergana Jouleva the Symbol of the National Audit Office and a Diploma for AIP contribution to the enhancement of the publicity and transparency of the institutions in Bulgaria and to the development of an informed society. Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/Measuring_Transparency_Is_a_Global_Index_Possible_and_Necess/20121220001079/ Access to Information Programme Executive Director Gergana Jouleva reflects on the discussion of a Global Transpareny Index. She also outlines approaches of monitoring access to information and active transparency used by Access to Information Programme during its sixteen years of advocacy work. The article was published in AIP Monthly FOI Newsletter, issue 11(107), November 2012 disseminated to 2,300 subscribers (in Bulgarian).     Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/news/Merry_Christmas_and_A_Happy_New_Year/20121219004325/ The team of Access to Information Programme wishes you health and successful initiatives in 2013! Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/The_Supreme_Administrative_Court_repealed_a_refusal_of_the_B/20121219007375/ The Deputy Governor of the BNB refused to provide information about the legal basis, regulating the procedure for performing inspections on commercial banks in cases of alleged violations of the Credit Institutions Act and regulations for its implementation.  Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/A_refusal_of_the_head_of_the_Regional_Inspectorate_on_Educat/20121209001993/ In June 2012, the citizen Liliana Valcheva filed an electronic request to the Regional Inspectorate on Education – Haskovo demanding access by e-mail to all available information – orders, letters, minutes, etc. – related to measures undertaken after her letters for alleged wrongdoings in a high-school in the town of Topolovgrad. Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:00:00 UTC http://www.aip-bg.org/en/cases/news/Silent_refusal_on_an_APIA_request_is_inadmissible_and_only_o/20121205006708/ On that ground, the Administrative Court Sofia City repealed the silent refusal of the Prosecution Office on the request of the civil activist from the town of Varna, Kancho Bonev. The latter wanted to know on which requests did the Prosecutor answered personally, and on which did authorized prosecutors. Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 UTC