Position of civic society organizations against attempts of political parties and their leaders to exercise pressure over the civil society

On September 30, 2019 in the course of the election campaign for local elections, the nationalist party IMRO-BNM has sent a signal to the Prosecutor General to cease the activity of the human rights organization – Bulgarian Helsinki Committee. We consider such public attacks for inadmissible, they erode the public trust in the nongovernmental sector and they are used for political purposes which contradict the public interest.

The Constitution guarantees people their right of association so they can fully participate in the public life. The nongovernmental sector is the main driving force of a civil society. Civic organizations have goals and values which serve the people and provide them with possibility to contribute to the social development, but they also protect civic rights and lawful interests even if they have to oppose institutions, political parties and companies. Its existence is at the very core of democracy.

The whole content of the open letter could be found here