International Right to Know Day in Bulgaria

The right of access to information is an important human right, necessary for the enjoyment of other human rights.

The right to information is essential for transparent and accountable government. The right of access to information makes possible the public involvement in formulating social policies and in the decision-making processes of governance

The right to information can only be effectively exercised and implemented on the basis of laws, regulating this right in accordance with international standards

Awards ceremony 2005

Access to Information Program (AIP) has organized the celebration of the International Right to Know Day on 28 September for the third successive year. The ceremony was held in Mati hall in the National Palace of Culture. Positive and negative awards were given in seven categories.

Before the start of the awards ceremony 2005

The winners of the 2005 Right to Know Day Awards are:

1. Category: Citizen, who has most actively used the APIA
The ”Golden Key” award is presented to Mr. Petar Penchev—for his consistent and effective search of information about the construction of the Nuclear Power Plant Belene

Mr. Petar Penchev thanks AIP for the
"Golden Key" award

Honorary Diplomas:
- Plamen Simeonov for using the Access to Public Information Act (APIA) in his search for information from the Chief Prosecutor’s Office
- Wiliam Popov for his using of the APIA to obtain information from different institutions; he has sued successfully several institutions for information refusals

2. Category: Best journalist story related to the access to information right
The ”Golden Key” award goes to the journalists Vassil Chobanov, Bogdana Lazarova, Elena Encheva and Petya Vladimirova for their successfull court case for publicity of the session transcripts of the Supreme Judicial Council. The media campaign, which accompanied the court case, actually lead to opening the sessions of the SJC to the public. The award also recognizes the large number of publications, reflecting on the successfull case.


Vassil Chobanov with the "Golden Key" award after the ceremony	Dimitar Sotirov presents the award to Petya Vladimirova and Bogdana Lazarova

Honorary Diplomas:
- Krassimir Dobrev, Sega newspaper for his article “Don't Feel Sorry for the Public Officials, Ask for Information!"
- Tanya Petrova, Sega newspaper for two journalistic investigations, based on documents received after APIA requests: “Companies Close to the Government Repaired Schools", and “Doing Business with High-school Admissions"

3. Category: Non-governmental organization, which has most actively exersized its access to information right
The ”Golden Key” award goes to Public Baromether - citizen watch in Sliven - for their long-year effective usage of the Access to Public Information Act in the fight against corruption, including freedom of information litigation and publishing all requested and received documents on their web-site: http://www.corruption-bg.org/

Yurii Ivanov from Public Baromether receives his award from Alexander Kashumov

Honorary Diplomas:
- NGOs center in the town of Razgrad – for their active usage of APIA and litigation in cases public significance.
- Regional consumers association in the town of Haskovo - for efefctively seeking and receiving information, concerning the health of a 100,000 town.

4. Best web-site of an institution with regard to teh Access to Public Information Act

This year the awards committee has decided not to present a "Golden Key" award in this category. The commitee members believed that the nominated institutions had not significantly improved their web-sites and none of them deserved to be distinguished. Anyway, we decided to give out three Honorary diplomas:

- State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission
- Municipality of Stara Zagora
- Regional governor of Veliko Turnovo

5. Category: Institution, which has most efficiently organized the public information release
The ”Golden Key” award goes to the Municipality of Kardjali - for maximum transparency of the Municipality (including on their web-site) and implementation of their obligations under the law.

The Mayor of Kardjali with the "Golden Key" award

Honorary Diploma is presented to the Regional Tax Directorate (RTD)-Haskovo - for creating an efficient system for consulting citizens and providing quick access to information

The Director of the RTD-Haskovo receives his Honorary Diploma from Gergana Jouleva

6. Category: Institution, which does not observe its duties under the APIA and violates citizens’ rights under the APIA

The ”Golden Padlock” award is presented to the Council of Ministers - both the previous newly elected one - for bad information management in times of crisis; for the lack of procedures and the blurred responsibilities in informing the population about the effects of the numerous floodings during the summer of 2005.

The Dishonorary diploma goes to the Municipality of Sofia for the total lack of information about measures taken to overcome the waste management crisis in Sofia

Golden padlock

7. Category: Most absurd and funniest administrative decision related to an access to information request
The “Tied Key” award goes to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for referring a request about the names of their ministers during the last fifteen years to the Cabinet

Special award for outstanding contribution to freedom of information was presented to the Dnevnik newspaper journalists Hristo Hristov. The Golden Key was presented to him in recognition of his investigation on the murder of the Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov in London. A great part of the investigation was based on documents, received with the help of the Access to Information Act and used in Hristov's book Kill the Tramp.

Hristo Hristov, Dnevnik newspaper with the special "Golden Key" award for outstanding contribution to freedom of information