We live in times that continuously prompt us to reflect on some of democracy’s core values: freedom of speech and access to information.

According to the annual Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, for the first time in its history, 100 out of 180 countries have declined in the rankings.

Bulgaria is ranked 71st. Within Europe, only countries such as Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, Hungary, and Greece rank below it - excluding countries like Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey.

 

What is the situation in Bulgaria:

• A draft amendment to the Civil Procedure Code has been put forward for public consultation. It proposes a mechanism for early dismissal of lawsuits filed through abuse of rights, aimed at obstructing public participation and restricting freedom of speech.

• Lawsuits,often described as (SLAPP) cases, continue against journalists such as Atanas Chobanov and Dimitar Stoyanov, as well as media outlets like Bivol, Capital, Mediapool, the civic association BOEC, and various other activists.

• For a third consecutive year, a decision is still pending from the Supreme Court of Cassation and the Supreme Administrative Court on an interpretative case addressing whether legal entities can sue journalists, media, and activists for “non-material damages.”

• Despite the resignation of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, concerns remain that the SAC could exclude the prosecution from the scope of the Access to Public Information Act, potentially restricting journalists’ and citizens’ access to information, deemed to be of high public interest.

• The direction Bulgaria will take after the elections remains to be seen. An absolute majority in both legislative and executive power could enable reforms, but it is also a test of the ruling authorities’ virtue and their ability to uphold the demands