Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria
December 2007 – November 2010
Financed by: MATRA Programme of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Project description:
The overall objectives of the project are to promote the process of transparency and accountability of the government and local authorities in Bulgaria; to contribute to the rule of law and democracy in line with the European standards, and to improve the flow and quality of public information. The project aims to increase transparency at local and regional level; to increase the knowledge and improve the skills of local media and journalists on applying access to information legislation, and to help build engaged society that holds authorities accountable.
Expected results:
1. Media and journalists understand and apply better their rights and obligations under access to information legislation;
2. Media and journalists are increasingly successful in obtaining public information by using access to information legislation;
3. Improved legal capacity of AIP for support to media;
4. Improved monitoring on use of access to information legislation by media and journalists;
5. The general public (especially on local and regional level) has improved knowledge on freedom of information issues and is actively seeking information.
Activities within the project:
1.Trainings for editors-in-chief and journalists from local and regional media
2.Legal advice and help to journalists in information cases
3.Creation of database and website with results from the use of the Acess to Public Information Act by media and journalists
4.Public awareness campaign led by AIP coordinators in the country (on local and regional level)
5.TV campaign about freedom of information and production of documentary Right to Know
The project is being implemented in cooperation with
The Management & Media Academy/Free Voice.
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The book Buying/ Selling the Danube Coast (10 Years APIA, 60 stories by journalists) was presented on November 26, 2010 in the Helikon Bookstore (4 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd), Sofia.
Buying/ Selling the Danube Coast (10 Years APIA, 60 stories by journalists) is part of AIP strategy to mark the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Access to Public Information Act (APIA).
Compiler and editor of the book is Nikolay N. Ninov, a coordinator of the AIP network of journalists in the country. The stories are written by the AIP coordinators within the period 2003 – 2010. Most of them were published in AIP monthly newsletter, the rest in the media journalists work for. Some texts were amended, updated or originally written for the purposes of the book.
Buying/ Selling the Danube Coast is a mixture of journalistic styles. AIP coordinators report the emblematic APIA litigation cases, tell about the access to information experience of NGOs, journalists and citizens. The book is a chronology of the uneasy way walked along by the authorities and the civil society during the ten years of APIA implementation in Bulgaria. The book addresses journalists, legal experts, NGOs and citizens who are concerned about the quality of the public information, about its restrictions, the violations in the process of its provision, and the mechanisms for the protection of the right to information.
Buying/Selling the Danube Coast is published within the framework of the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, financed through the MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by AIP in cooperation with the The Management & Media Academy/Free Voice.
You can buy the book in the Helikon Bookstores or AIP office.
Pictures from the presentation of the book at AIP Facebook site.
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AIP held a meeting with the coordinators from the country and journalists from local and regional media. |
2010 Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony – video clips (in Bulgarian)
On September 28, 2010 AIP held the Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony for the eighth successive year. Over 100 representatives of NGOs, public officials, journalists, lawyers, partners, and friends of AIP attended the ceremony held in the Bulgarian News Agency.
You can watch seven video clips covering the 2010 Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria.
The videos were produced by a team of ProMedia - Broadcasting Training Center Foundation within the framework of the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, financed through the MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by AIP in cooperation with the The Management & Media Academy/Free Voice.
 Opening of the workshop in Kardjali |
In 4-6 October 2010, AIP held the last three training workshops with journalists from local media in the towns of Haskovo, Kardjali, and Smolyan. Kiril Terziiski, a lawyer at the AIP legal team presented cases of journalistic investigations completed with the help of the Access to Public Information Act and following litigation proceedings in cases of denials. Tactics for successful use of the law by journalists were also presented. The Dutch FOI expert, Mr. Roger Vleugels, presented tactics and cases of journalists from Holland. The movie Media and Access to Information - Five Investigative Reporter Stories was shown at all workshops. Thus the number of training workshops held with Bulgarian journalists from local and regional media has become 26. |
 Participants in the workshop in Plovdiv |
In 12-14 April 2010, AIP held three more training workshops with journalists from local media in the towns of Pazardjik, Plovdiv and Stara Zagora. Kiril Terziiski, a lawyer at the AIP legal team presented cases of journalistic investigations completed with the help of the Access to Public Information Act and following litigation proceedings in cases of denials. Tactics for successful use of the law by journalists were also presented. The Dutch FOI expert, Mr. Roger Vleugels, presented tactics and cases of journalists from Holland. The movie Media and Access to Information - Five Investigative Reporter Stories was shown at all workshops. |
 AIP executive director, Ms. Gergana Jouleva, prsents the award to Ms. Stela Kovacheva |
AIP held the annual meeting with the journalists from the coordinators’ network on February 5, 2010 in Sofia.
The meeting was organized within the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, financed through the MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ms. Gergana Jouleva, AIP executive director, made and overview of the key achievements of AIP during the past 2009. Results are presented in the annual report of the organization. The goals and tasks of the coordinators’ network for 2010 were outlined. The newly launched Public Awareness Campaign on New Standards in the Access to Information Area was presented. Alexander Kashumov, the head of AIP legal team, presented the results from the AIP run campaign with regard to proposed amendments to the Electronic Communications Act.
AIP gave the Coordinator of the Year Award for a third successive year. Stela Kovacheva, AIP coordinator for the region of Razgrad, was acknowledged for her active engagement in the coordinators’ network, timely and efficient coverage of AIP initiatives, participation in access to information campaigns on a local level.
In 2008 and 2009, AIP has organized and held workshops with journalists from local media in twenty Bulgarian cities within the implementation of the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, financed by the MATRA Programme of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At these seminars, cases of journalistic investigations completed with the help of the APIA and following litigation proceedings were presented. Tactics for successful use of the law by journalists were also presented. The Dutch FOI expert, Mr. Roger Vleugels, presented tactics and cases of journalists from Holland.
Two special documentaries were produced:
The special documentary “Media and Access to Information - Five Investigative Reporter Stories” which presents five emblematic access to information litigation proceedings of journalists from national media was shown at all workshops and copies were left for broadcast by local TV stations.
The movie is accessible at with English and Russian subtitles.
The thirty-minute documentary Right to Know Day was produced in 2009 also disseminated among participants in the training workshops.
The 20 minute documentary covering the 2009 Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony was produced. It shows moments from the ceremony and interviews with the winners of the awards in the different categories.In Bulgarian only.
The special web site Access to Information and Journalistic Investigations was launched and maintained to serve as a permanent reference and to encourage journalists to perform thorough investigations by obtaining public information from institutions. It contains important court cases of journalists, comments and recommendations on current topics of public interest, publications, documentaries, training videos, training materials, information about AIP campaigns and forthcoming events, etc.
AIP held the annual meeting with the journalists from the coordinators’ network on October 30 - November 1, 2009 in the town of Bankia. During the meeting, the last amendments to the Access to Public Information Act as of December 2008 were presented. Also the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents. Updated sections of the special web site Access to Information and Journalistic Investigations was also presented to the AIP coordinators. AIP lawyers made a review of specific access to information cases of journalists referred to AIP for legal comments and consultation during 2009, as well as court cases supported by AIP. Participants in the meeting discussed possibilities for improvement of the content of the AIP monthly electronic newsletter of AIP.
 Gergana Jouleva presents the award to Tsvetan Todorov |
AIP held the annual meeting with the journalists from the coordinators’ network on February 6, 2009 in Sofia.
The meeting was organized within the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, financed through the MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ms. Gergana Jouleva, AIP executive director, made and overview of the results achievements during the first year of implementation of the project Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria and outlined the tasks for 2009. Alexander Kashumov, the head of AIP legal team, presented the last amendments to the Access to Public Information Act and results from the AIP run campaign with regard to proposed amendments to the Electronic Communications Act and AIP initiated litigation against Regulation 40 of the Ministry of Interior and the SCITC. Kiril Terziiski, a lawyer in the legal team of AIP, presented the legal help provided in information cases of journalists.
AIP gave the Coordinator of the Year Award for a second successive year. Tsvetan Todorov, AIP coordinator for the region of Lovech, was acknowledged for his active use of the Access to Public Information Act in his journalistic work, including the defense of his right to information in court, and reporting on these developments.
 Gergana Jouleva presents the award to Diana Boncheva |
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.
For the first time, AIP presented the Coordinator of the Year Award. Diana Boncheva, AIP coordinator for the region of Yambol was recognized as being most active and effective in her work as both journalist, using the access to information law, and AIP coordinator.
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English Version • Last Update: 07.12.2010 • © 1999 Copyright by Interia & AIP