Since 2003, each year on September 28 - International Right to Know Day - Access to information Programme presents awards for freedom of information contribution in Bulgaria

The purpose of these awards is to to encourage citizens, NGOs, journaluists to exercise their rights of information access, and to push governmental institutions to create conditions for exercising of the rights under the Access to Public Information Act.

There are still quite a few institutions, which do not fulfill their obligations under APIA and do not recognize the rights of information access. Access to Information Programme will also give negative awards to these institutions.

Access to Information Prorgamme (AIP) presents the “Golden Key” awards to citizens, journalists, and NGOs, who have actively exercised their right of access to information. We also award institutions which have most efficiently organized the provision of access to information to the public and has been most open and transparent to citizens.

To dishonor bad practices of not respecting the right of access to information we give the "Padlock" anti-award for the most non-transparent institution. We also give an anti-award for a most absurd/funny administrative decision on an access to information request - the "Tied Key."

The awards are presented at the annual Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony organized and held by AIP on 28 September - the International Right to Know Day. The winners are selected from dozens of nominations by a Jury, consisting of renowned journalists and representatives of leadings NGOs, as well as members of AIP team.



All statuettes are made by Blagovest Apostolov, a Bulgarian sculptоr.





"Golden Key"

"Padlock"

"Tied Key"