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Home / Програми и инициативи / Civic participation / Public Consultation on the Received Proposals for Measures in Bulgaria’s Fourth National Action Plan within the ‘Open Government Partnership’ Initiative

09/09/2021 Reading time: 9 minutes

Public Consultation on the Received Proposals for Measures in Bulgaria’s Fourth National Action Plan within the ‘Open Government Partnership’ Initiative

The “Open Government Partnership” is an international initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments 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.

PREPARATION OF BULGARIA’S FOURTH NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

Countries participating in the initiative prepare national action plans with concrete commitments for open governance.

In June, Bulgaria launched consultations for developing the Fourth National Action Plan under the initiative. Every interested party (civil society organizations, including branch and professional organizations, government institutions, natural or legal persons) was invited to submit proposals for measures and/or thematic areas to be included in the plan. By 31 July 2021, a total of 35 measure proposals were collected: 18 submitted by government institutions and 17 by civil society organizations. The measures were evenly distributed between the thematic areas of “Civic Participation” and “Transparency and Access to Information,” followed by “Integrity and Anti-Corruption” and “Open Data.”

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The public consultation on the proposed measures is currently undergoing. Everyone may express their agreement or disagreement with any of the measures until 30.09.2021 via the following form: https://forms.gle/Nq3GP5fUiDHMmDC89

You can also publish opinions or recommendations for each proposed measure regarding its relevance to the principles of the initiative, feasibility, and opportunities for implementation jointly by public institutions and civil society organizations – please use the comment section on the public consultation page for the Fourth National Action Plan under the “Open Government Partnership” initiative at www.strategy.bg.

WHAT MEASURES DID BCNL PROPOSE

The Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL) proposed 7 measures to be included in the Fourth National Action Plan under the “Open Government Partnership” initiative. Below is a summary of these proposals, which can be supported via the online survey until 30.09.2021.

Assessment of the process of electronic registration of not-for-profit legal entities (NPLEs) in the Registry of NPLEs at the Registry Agency and recommendations for its improvement

The proposed measure aims to improve administrative services provided by the Registry Agency to not-for-profit legal entities.

The proposed measure includes:

Analysis of the electronic services provided to non-profit legal entities from January 2018 to date and proposals for their improvement.
Increasing the capacity of the state administration (in particular, registration officials) to work with civil society organizations in the registration process.

Expected results if the measure is implemented:

Increased understanding on the part of the employees of the Registry Agency of the specifics that are decisive for legal entities with non-profit status and their registration;
Reduction of refusals and difficulties for legal entities with non-profit status in the registration process.

2. Adoption of a Law on Volunteering

Since 2004, there have been more than five attempts to adopt such a law, but for one reason or another, they have been unsuccessful. After the Covid-19 crisis, everyone realized how important the support of volunteers and organizations is in responding adequately to an emergency. Now, more than ever, it is necessary to adopt an adequate and encouraging legal framework to stimulate volunteering.

The proposed measure includes:

Developing an up-to-date draft law on volunteering
Assessment of the impact of the draft law on volunteering

Expected results if the measure is implemented:

Ensuring an adequate environment and conditions for civic engagement through volunteering, including support for the development of volunteer initiatives by civil society organizations.

3. Developing a mechanism for the participation of citizens and civil society organizations in the work of the Council for the Development of Civil Society (CDCS)

The proposal is aimed at a measure to improve civic participation.

The proposed measure includes:

establishing the Council for the Development of Civil Society as a platform for the continuous exchange of ideas, analysis, and proposals from citizens and a wide range of organizations to institutions and vice versa;
providing a fast, online, convenient, and easy way to inform civil society about the Council’s activities and for citizens and civil society organizations to participate in the process of proposing and adopting policies affecting their rights and interests.

Expected results if the measure is implemented:

Improved interaction between citizens and civil society organizations and institutions as participants in the processes of developing and implementing laws and policies through a functioning Council for the Development of Civil Society.

4. Mechanism for ensuring respect for fundamental human rights in the introduction of artificial intelligence in the process of digitalization in Bulgaria

The digitization process has an impact on electoral systems, political representation, and civic participation. The introduction of artificial intelligence raises many questions about security and respect for our fundamental rights in the online world.

The proposed measure includes:

The creation of a working group with representatives of institutions, civil society organizations, and businesses to develop common standards – guidelines for the application of artificial intelligence in new technologies, while ensuring equal access and full respect for human rights.

Expected results if the measure is adopted:

Achieving consensus among stakeholders on the standards that the development and application of digital technologies must meet when using artificial intelligence;
Providing more guarantees of access for groups that would otherwise have difficulty accessing the technologies;
Developing digitization in compliance with all human rights principles.

5. Monitoring cases of repeated unlawful collection of data by the administration on citizens and legal entities

Repeated data collection is an unreasonable administrative burden on citizens and legal entities, leads to slow and inefficient implementation of administrative procedures, and contradicts the requirements of the Electronic Governance Act.

The proposed measure includes:

Establishing a working group with the participation of non-governmental organizations and representatives of the public administration to develop a mechanism for monitoring the repeated collection of information by the public administration so as to comply with the obligations under Article 2 of the Electronic Governance Act, after the necessary analysis of existing problems and recommendations for their removal.

Expected results if the measure is implemented:

More effective compliance with the obligation of administrative bodies, persons performing public functions, and organizations providing public services not to re-collect data on natural and legal persons.

6. Ensuring free access to public electronic services for all citizens over the age of 14

In Bulgaria, the process of building a national electronic identity system began in 2016, but it is not yet complete and is not at a particularly advanced stage.

The proposed measure includes:

Developing and adopting at least two free ways for citizens and legal entities to access public electronic services, while complying with the necessary security levels

Expected results if the measure is adopted:

Supplying of a free, reliable, and easily accessible tool for the identification of all citizens and legal entities when using public electronic services.

7. Government website for petitions

The proposal is aimed at a measure to improve civic participation.

The proposed measure includes:

The creation of a government-supported website for the creation and support of online petitions by citizens and civil society organizations, which would allow them to be sent to the relevant responsible institutions and engage them in responding and taking action on the requests received.

Expected results if the measure is implemented:

State-provided conditions for the implementation in the digital environment of the right under Article 45 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria for citizens to submit proposals and petitions to state authorities.