Access to community center expenses and verbatim records

Apostol Stoichev v. Director of "Hristo Botev" Chitalishte (community center) in the village of Banevo, Burgas region
Court case № 210/2003 of the Regional Court of Burgas

On Jan. 31, 2003 Apostol Stoichev filed an information request to the Director of "Hristo Botev" community center in the village of Banevo. The citizen requested detailed information about the members of the community center council, verbatim records from the council sessions, report on the state and municipal funds spent, etc.

The director of the local community center failed to respond in the law-provided term (14 days). After consulting the lawyers of AIP the requestor filed an appeal against the tacit refusal of the director.

With decision № І - 135 from May 15, 2003 the Regional court of Burgas reversed the tacit refusal of the Community center director as unlawful and obliged him to provide the requested information.

The decision of the regional court was appealed by the respondent before the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC). The first hearing on SAC court case № 8825/2003 will be on Jan. 27, 2004.