Reading time: 6 minutes

Public Consultation on Proposed Measures for Bulgaria’s Fourth National Action Plan under the “Open Government Partnership” Initiative

On November 15, 2021, the transitional composition of the Council for Coordination of Bulgaria’s participation in the “Open Government Partnership” initiative was convened. The meeting included representatives of state institutions and civil society organizations – the initiators of the proposals for measures for the country’s Fourth National Action Plan within the framework of the international initiative.

At the final session that the Council held on December 9, 2021, 18 out of a total of 38 initial proposals were approved for inclusion in the Fourth National Action Plan. These measures are currently published for public consultation – accessible HERE until January 10, 2022.

The measures are organized by the thematic areas of the plan: Civic Participation, Transparency and Access to Information, Integrity and Anti-Corruption, and Open Data.

The Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL) will act as a lead or partner organization for the implementation of the following measures:

  • A Conceptual Framework for Open Government – A measure in the area of Transparency and Access to Information


BCNL will partner with the Council of Ministers Administration to review existing strategic documents and assess their alignment with the principles of open government and open state. Depending on the outcome, new components will be added or developed to establish the conceptual foundations of open government in Bulgaria.

  • Implementation of various forms of effective public dialogue to develop common standards for the use of artificial intelligence in the digitization process in order to ensure equal access and respect for human rights – a measure in the area of good governance and the fight against corruption.

BCNL proposed this measure, which aims to implement various forms of public dialogue on issues related to the use of artificial intelligence systems and respect for human rights. This will contribute to a more informed society that actively engages in shaping policies and standards at both the European and national levelsl.

  • Drafting of a Law on Volunteering in the Republic of Bulgaria – a measure in the thematic area of Civic Participation

At the suggestion of the BCNL, this measure was included in the plan with the aim of developing appropriate legal regulations for volunteering in Bulgaria, which would lead to the promotion of volunteering, broader civic participation, and the activation of more citizens in dialogue with institutions and joint decision-making.

  • Development of a mechanism for the participation of citizens and civil society organizations in the work of the Council for the Development of Civil Society (CDCS) – a measure in the area of Civic Participation

The measure proposed by the BCNL aims to ensure that the Council for the Development of Civil Society becomes operational and that a unified online space is created to present information about the Council’s activities. Above all, it shall enable citizens and organizations that are not members of the Council to quickly and easily be able to express their opinions, make suggestions, and participate in the issues discussed by the Council.

  • Development of a template for submitting online petitions to state authorities and its adaptation into an official website for submitting online petitions to the government and parliament – a measure in the area of Civic Participation

The BCNL proposed this measure, which is to be implemented jointly with the State Agency for Electronic Governance and other involved institutions and interested organizations. The measure aims to create a secure platform for citizens to submit online petitions, which is recognized by state authorities as a tool for exercising their constitutional right to send their requests to them and to gather additional public support for this. The platform will ensure predictability and transparency in the behavior of state authorities when online petitions are submitted to them.

You can familiarize yourself with all the proposed measures and participate in their public discussion until January 10, 2022, here.

“The Open Government Partnership” is an international initiative that aims to get governments to make specific commitments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption through the use of new technologies, and strengthen governance. The initiative was launched on September 20, 2011, in New York, where eight founding countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States) approved the Open Government Declaration. Bulgaria joined the initiative in April 2012.

The participating countries draw up national plans with specific commitments to open government. According to the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) adopted by the Open Government Partnership (OGP), reports are prepared every two years for the participating countries on the implementation of the commitments set out in their Action Plans. The reports assess the degree of implementation of the commitments made by the government, their relevance to the objectives of the Initiative, and make recommendations for commitments to be included in the new action plans. The reports are prepared by national experts in cooperation with governments and other stakeholders.

To date, Bulgaria has adopted three National Action Plans and three reports have been prepared on their implementation. Following public consultation on the draft Fourth Plan, it is due to be adopted by the Council of Ministers and implemented in the period 2022-2023.