The Bulgarian National Audit Office was recognized as the winner of the 2011 Golden Key award in the category for an institution which has most efficiently organized the provision of public information. The web site of the National Audit Office is in compliance with the requirements of the Access to Information Act and other obligations for openness and accountability. The National Audit Office maintains one of the most important registers related to the government transparency – The Register of Senior Public Officials. It contains the asset and property declarations of high government officials.

Under the last amendments to the Electoral Code, effective as of January 28, 2011, the National Audit Office had developed, presented to media and nongovernmental organizations, and launched the National Unified Public Register for Election Participants. With the launch on September 26, 2011, a month before the national local government and presidential elections, the National Audit Office proved its slogan: Watching over taxpayers’ money. Professor Valeriy Dimitrov, President of the National Audit Office, received the Golden Key award.

The Municipality of Popovo was recognized with a diploma for not only good compliance with the requirements for active publication of information online, but for the special initiative of the mayor to appear once a month in the Hour of the Mayor broadcast which is shown on the local TV and is also available online. The mayor thus gives account of the decisions made and money spent to the public. 

AIP Executive Director, Gergana Jouleva, presents the Diploma to the deputy minister of defense, Valentin Radev

A surprise in the institutions recognized for transparency and accountability was the Ministry of Defense. Traditionally closed institution, and also awarded for an absurd administrative decision on an access to information request (in 2007), the Ministry of Defense was recognized with a diploma specifically for casting light on the work of the Zmeyovo military test field near the town of Stara Zagora. The military ground used to be one of the most secret premises of the Ministry of Defense. A special section on the web site of the Ministry which provides camera view over the place and gives real time information about the air quality tests was launched. Hot telephone line was opened and a PR expert was assigned. These were small steps but important, and removed the suspicions for environmental pollution from Zmeyovo in the region of Stara Zagora.