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Управление на обществените поръчки в България: корупционни рискове и наказателно преследване

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Despite the legislative and institutional progress, especially in terms of increased transparency and access to data, the public procurement (PP) sector in Bulgaria continues to be associated with high levels of corruption risk. The number of irregularities uncovered by the control bodies remains considerable. At the same time there is a lack of effective investigation, while criminal cases, involving PP, are still very limited and predominantly focused on the lower levels of governance.

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Взаимодействие между институциите и неправителствения сектор за подобряване на положението на жертвите на трафик на хора

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The initiative ‘Civic Organizations: a Guarantee for Equal Rights of Vulnerable Groups before the State’ encompasses four vulnerable groups: persons deprived of their liberty, victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, as well as persons in need of international protection and other vulnerable foreigners. Although very different, those communities encounter similar problems in their relations with institutions: insufficient human and financial resourcing, work practices not always meeting the needs of vulnerable groups. Thus, oftentimes those persons rely on civil society for improving their status, including through assistance before the respective competent authorities. Throughout its different stages, the initiative outlined the profile of the vulnerable groups, their relations with institutions and NGOs and promising foreign experience and practices applicable in the Bulgarian environment. A Concept for More Effective Civic Participation in the Assistance to Vulnerable Groups was developed, proposing further practical steps. The four memoranda (Co-operation between institutions and NGOs in improving the status of domestic violence victims; Co-operation between institutions and NGOs in improving the status of victims of human trafficking; Co-operation between institutions and NGOs in improving the status of persons deprived of their liberty; Co-operation between institutions and NGOs in improving the status of persons seeking international protection and other vulnerable foreigners) contain specific recommendations to institutions, working with the vulnerable groups, based on the Concept and the opinions of various state authorities and civil society representatives.

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Improving Governance in Bulgaria: Evaluating the Impact of EU Conditionality through Policy and Financial Assistance

Author(s): Ruslan Stefanov,Stefan Karaboev / Language(s): English

The paper examines the impact on Bulgaria’s anti-corruption performance of the interrelation between EU policy conditionality and EU financial assistance, with a focus on post-accession developments. Although the EU never formally linked EU assistance to progress on anti-corruption, the disbursement of funds has tended to peak around critical deadlines for accession progress, e.g. the signing of the accession treaty in 2005, and the expiration of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism’s (CVM) safeguard clauses in 2010. Both years also marked the lowest levels of corruption experienced by Bulgaria’s citizens. This suggests that the combined effect of EU anticorruption conditionality and development assistance on governance in Bulgaria was positive - but temporary. Moreover, the 2015 CVM monitoring report suggests that, eight years after EU accession, Bulgaria still faces three key governance challenges – combatting high-level corruption, building an institutional approach to anti-corruption, and judicial independence. In 2014, public experience of corruption reached its highest level since the first comparable research in 1998. The lack of anti-corruption conditionality or credible enforcement mechanisms since 2010 has seen Bulgaria backslide in the fight against corruption. The current EU approach and development assistance for anticorruption reforms have been insufficient to put Bulgaria on a virtuous circle path to open access order (or a good governance model), and has not been able to compensate for the lack of domestic political commitment to anticorruption reform. The paper’s findings suggest that the EU and Bulgarian anti-corruption stakeholders need to find new strategies for bringing about lasting governance change. This analysis is part of Work Package 8 of the EU FP7 ANTICORRP Project, comprising eight case study reports looking at the impact of EU conditionality and EU aid in countries in new EU member states, the European Neighbourhood and beyond. Other than Bulgaria, the case studies review Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, Kosovo, Tanzania, Tunisia and Ukraine. The integrated case study report is available at the official ANTICORRP webpage.

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Аналитичен доклад: Наблюдение на принудителното връщане в България

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The governance of migration flows largely depends on the development of an effective system for returning illegally staying foreigners. Forced return is seen as a "last resort" in the fight against illegal migration and should be subject to the principles of proportionality and not exceeding the reasonable force. In this regard, there is agreement that the monitoring not only brings openness and clarity on the conditions and treatment, but represents an additional guarantee for the return of persons, including those with special protection needs. In this context, the introduction of an independent and effective monitoring mechanism is a key aspect for the development of the overall framework for forced return in accordance with Directive 2008/115/EC. The aim of the developed Analytical report: Monitoring of the forced return in Bulgaria is to present an analysis on the existing legal and institutional framework in the area of forced return in Bulgaria and to make general recommendations for the development of a national mechanism to forced return monitoring. This Analytical report is developed within the Annual Programme 2013 in scheme grants BG / RF (3) - 2013 "Forced return monitoring" by the Center for the Study of Democracy.

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Background report: Policies on drugs in Bulgarian prisons

Author(s): Dimitar Markov,Maria Doichinova,Lyubomira Derelieva / Language(s): English

This report provides a snapshot of the situation of drug users in Bulgaria. As it is aimed to serve as a basis for comparative study on policies and practice towards drug users, particularly in prisons, in Bulgaria and Norway, it presents the country’s context – general information on the country and its criminal justice system, policy and legislation on drugs explaining what are the perimeters of drug restriction and what are the national policies towards drug use. This information is illustrated with statistics on crime rates and drug crime in particular. The report also investigates how court looks upon the fact that the accused are using or addicted to narcotic substances within the criminal proceedings and specifically on the type and the term of the sentence. Finally, it looks upon the sanctions available for drug users and their situation once sentenced to imprisonment – what treatment, rehabilitation and harm reduction programmes are available in different prisons.

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Transit migration in Bulgaria

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

The Working Party on Information of the Vienna Group, at its meeting of 17 February 1993, discussed the Feasibility Study on the Establishment of a Migration Information System submitted by IOM and recommended that IOM should start implementing such a program. Two substantial migration flows to Western Europe cross Bulgaria. The first one is made up of migrants from the Middle East who intend to migrate to Central and Western Europe (above all Germany and Austria). The flow that previously passed through former Yugoslavia has now been largely re-oriented through Romania. A second flow comes from the Newly Independent States (NIS) and Romania, crossing Bulgaria and entering Greece.

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RE-SOCIALISATION OF OFFENDERS IN THE EU: ENHANCING THE ROLE OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY (RE-SOC). Workstream 4: Civic monitoring of prisons. Analysis of availability and accessibility of data in Bulgaria

Author(s): Dimitar Markov,Maria Yordanova,Miryana Ilcheva,Maria Doichinova / Language(s): English

The country fiches on availability and accessibility of data offer an overview of the prison-related data collection in Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany, Lithuania and Spain. Each report presents the institutions responsible for collecting statistics on prisons, what data is collected and by what categories the information is disaggregated, how regularly the collected information is updated, are there any restrictions concerning the access to data, etc.

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CONDUCTING SOCIOLOGICAL AND SPECIALIZED SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENT RESEARCH TO EVALUATE THE RESULTS FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL CHILD STRATEGY (NCS)

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

The objective of surveys commissioned by State Agency for Child Protection was to register changes in the first three years of implementation of the National Child Strategy to summarize assessments of target groups and the general public on the key priorities of the National Strategy, to establish whether they meet the support and understanding by the general public and of specific groups associated with its implementation, to recognize the knowledge and progress in achieving the main objectives of the overall policy on child protection.

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Анализ на правната рамка на регистрацията на неправителствените организации

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The analysis of the legal framework of non-profit legal entities shows that there is no uniform approach to the regulation of individual registers. The administrative burden of initial registration and the subsequent listing of changes is primarily on the non-profit legal entities themselves, while the office of initiation, where it is, is very limited. There are no rules or mechanisms for the exchange of information between individual registers, which often leads to a discrepancy between the information. Last but not least, the question of the need to have all these registers, especially those without specific legal significance, and whether the creation of a central register could not successfully replace the majority of them.

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Политически брифинг № 58 на CSD: ПРОЗРАЧНОЕ УПРАВЛЕНИЕ И ЭНЕРГОБЕЗОПАСНОСТЬ В ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЙ И ВОСТОЧНОЙ ЕВРОПЕ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Russian

The national and regional energy security of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has become a hot topic of discussion in the EU recently, focusing the attention of experts, policy makers, and the general public on ongoing and future energy projects but also on the features of energy governance in these countries. The interruption of gas supplies to Europe as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian pricing dispute in 2009, the continuing Russian-Ukrainian crisis after the annexation of Crimea, and the EU-Russia controversies regarding the South Stream pipeline project, as well as Gazprom’s non-compliance with the EU regulations in several anti-trust cases in the past few years are the major cornerstones that shape the CEE energy security framework and policy options as the region remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear technology. At the same time, the fragile democratic traditions in the CEE countries, the existing networks of political protectionism and economic oligarchy, and the opaque business practices nurtured by corruption and links with organized crime, have been reinforced by the negative implications of Russian economic and geo-political influence. Russia has exploited its dominant position in the energy market and its long-term links with certain political and economic groups to shape political decisions across the region according to its own interests, but often to the detriment of the home country consumers. The current review of energy security risks in four selected CEE countries, two energy poor – Bulgaria and Serbia, and two energy-resourced– Romania and Ukraine, assesses the factual situation per se and the transparency and accountability of energy policy governance in the region.

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CSD Policy Brief No. 58: TRANSPARENTNA UPRAVA I ENERGETSKA BEZBEDNOST U CENTRALNOJ I ISTOČNOJ EVROPI

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Serbian

The national and regional energy security of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has become a hot topic of discussion in the EU recently, focusing the attention of experts, policy makers, and the general public on ongoing and future energy projects but also on the features of energy governance in these countries. The interruption of gas supplies to Europe as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian pricing dispute in 2009, the continuing Russian-Ukrainian crisis after the annexation of Crimea, and the EU-Russia controversies regarding the South Stream pipeline project, as well as Gazprom’s non-compliance with the EU regulations in several anti-trust cases in the past few years are the major cornerstones that shape the CEE energy security framework and policy options as the region remains heavily dependent on Russian oil, gas, and nuclear technology. At the same time, the fragile democratic traditions in the CEE countries, the existing networks of political protectionism and economic oligarchy, and the opaque business practices nurtured by corruption and links with organized crime, have been reinforced by the negative implications of Russian economic and geo-political influence. Russia has exploited its dominant position in the energy market and its long-term links with certain political and economic groups to shape political decisions across the region according to its own interests, but often to the detriment of the home country consumers. The current review of energy security risks in four selected CEE countries, two energy poor – Bulgaria and Serbia, and two energy-resourced– Romania and Ukraine, assesses the factual situation per se and the transparency and accountability of energy policy governance in the region.

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Политически брифинг № 60 на CSD: Медийната (не)зависимост: рискове и тенденции

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The role of Bulgarian media in public life came under scrutiny after several media outlets were used as an instrument for triggering political crises and for political engineering (2013 – 2014). At that time, the Bulgarian media market was experiencing the impact of two negative trends. On the one hand, the economic crisis of 2009 – 2013 had cut advertising revenues by half. On the other, the old models of media financing were diminished by the use of digital technologies and the explosive growth of social networks and mobile communications. The loss of financial sustainability by the media presented unique opportunities for Bulgarian oligarchic groups. By accumulating a significant share of the media market, they reached an unprecedented level of political influence (including direct influence on the legislative, executive and judicial powers). The media was used as an instrument for state capture that could present severe security and economic risks.

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Risks of Islamist Radicalisation in Bulgaria: A Case Study in the Iztok Neighbourhood of the City of Pazardzhik

Author(s): Mila Mancheva,Rositsa Dzhekova / Language(s): English

In the context of the escalation of extremist Islamist violence in many EC countries today, the issue of the risks of home grown Islamist radicalization in Bulgaria is the subject of heated public debates. Preventing and studying (Islamist) radicalization has become a priority in Europe, giving rise to wealth of publications that explore its motives and causes as well as the processes whereby individuals and groups come to espouse extremist ideas and engage in violent actions. Such studies are lacking in Bulgaria while worries about the potential influence that international terrorist organisations and the related Islamist extremist ideologies could exert in the country are rising. This working paper presents the results from a qualitative study aiming to attain understanding about the vulnerabilities to Islamist radicalisation among a group of inhabitants of the “Iztok” neighborhood of the city of Pazardjik who are considered at risk. The study explores the root causes and the social meaning of the adoption of Salafi interpretations of Islam on the part of sub group local Roma and the root causes and the social meaning of certain manifestations of sympathy with radical Islamist ideas and organisations among some members of the group. Careful attention is paid to the factors and channels through which the two processes are fostered. A discussion is provided to the issue of the vulnerabilities to potential radicalisation among members of the group of Roma professing Salafi interpretation of Islam.

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БЪЛГАРСКИТЕ МАЛКИ И СРЕДНИ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯ И УЧАСТИЕТО ИМ В УСВОЯВАНЕТО НА СТРУКТУРНИТЕ ФОНДОВЕ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ СЪЮЗ. Аналитичен доклад

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

After Bulgaria joins the EU in 2007 the country will receive access to the Structural Funds (SF) and the Cohesion Fund of the European Union (EU), which are the main instruments for reducing the economic and social disparities within the Union. The effective management of these proceeds entails good knowledge of the EU Funds’ requirements and thorough preparation at national, regional and local levels both by the public and private sectors, including the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In 2000 in Lisbon, the European Commission and the EU Member States agreed upon the ambitious goal that by 2010 the European Union would have to become the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world . The instruments and mechanisms to achieve this goal have been outlined in the Lisbon Strategy of the EU. In 2005, an interim review on the progress of the Lisbon Strategy was done, based on which it was concluded that the Union was falling behind in some of its basic parameters, and that the gap between the EU and the leading innovative world economies of the United States and Japan was broadening.

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Енергийният сектор на България: основни проблеми в управлението

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The report analyses the major governance issues of the energy sector in Bulgaria, as well as the common energy crimes. It makes an overview of the 2020 Strategy and presents a recommended governance approach. The Bulgarian energy sector is key for the future development of the country’s economy. For the past decade energy exports and imports formed on average 12% (16% in 2008) and 21% (22% in 2008) of the value of the country’s outgoing and incoming trade flows respectively. Every fourth public procurement contract is concluded in the energy sector, making it one of the biggest taxpayers’ money spenders in the country. In 2008, in a single year, the Bulgarian government committed to energy projects, requiring budgetary investments equal in value to the whole EU funds support for the country for the current European seven year budget period 2007 – 2013.

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ИЗВЪРШВАНЕ НА СОЦИОЛОГИЧЕСКИ И СПЕЦИАЛИЗИРАНИ ПРОУЧВАНИЯ И ИЗСЛЕДВАНИЯ ЗА ОЦЕНКА НА РЕЗУЛТАТИТЕ ОТ ИЗПЪЛНЕНИЕТО НА НАЦИОНАЛНАТА СТРАТЕГИЯ ЗА ДЕТЕТО. Окончателен доклад

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The objective of surveys commissioned by State Agency for Child Protection was to register changes in the first three years of implementation of the National Child Strategy to summarize assessments of target groups and the general public on the key priorities of the National Strategy, to establish whether they meet the support and understanding by the general public and of specific groups associated with its implementation, to recognize the knowledge and progress in achieving the main objectives of the overall policy on child protection.

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Италианският опит в противодействието на изнудването и рекета

Author(s): Elena Sciandra,Antonio Iafano / Language(s): Bulgarian

Extortion racketeering is a crime which spans all sections of society, poses threats to the well-being of local communities and impairs the growth and development of business. No country is immune to it, although it varies across time, space and economic context. Extortion can be perpetrated by single offenders, or it can be part of more complex criminal schemes. In this sense, the case of Italy is typical because Italian mafias systematically resort to extortion racketeering.

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Процесът Коалиция 2000 през 1999 г.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The Report, discussed at the Policy Forum of Coalition 2000 in December 1999, presents the major activities of Coalition 2000 during 1999: -Clean Future Public Awareness Campaign; -The Institution of the People's Defender the Ombudsman; -International activities; -Monitoring.

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MANUEL SUR LES GROUPES DE DÉTENUS VULNÉRABLES

Author(s): Alejandro Forero Cuéllar,María Celeste Tortosa,Klaus Dreckmann,Dimitar Markov,Maria Doichinova / Language(s): French

In prison, certain groups of inmates are subject to disadvantages due to specifics of their origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc. These groups usually need special treatment, which is not always provided, which leads to unequal treatment and violation of their rights. This handbook examines the situation of such vulnerable groups within the prison systems of Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania and Spain. Starting from the classification of the UN Handbook on Prisoners with special needs and looking at the different national contexts, the authors identify different groups as vulnerable in different countries. In order to encompass as many groups as possible, their list was extended to include some particularly marginalised groups, such as sex offenders, prisoners with disabilities, etc. Each group is viewed in context, explaining the situations of vulnerability both generally and in the selected countries. From one side, the handbook presents the efforts for compensation of vulnerabilities in every country available in the legislation or provided by prison authorities or other actors. From the other side, it identifies the gaps in the measures and practices, which vary both from country to country and from group to group.

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ZBORNIK RADOVA TREĆE AKADEMIJE POLITIČKE ODGOVORNOSTI

Author(s): Zlatiborka Popov Momčinović,Alen Kristić,Nasiha Pozder,Željko Ivanković,Dino Abazović,Drago Bojić,Sabina Čehajić-Clancy,Vjekoslav Domljan,Sarina Bakić,Ivan Šarčević / Language(s): Bosnian,Croatian,Serbian

Fondacija Boris Divković formirana je u ljeto 2013. godine u Sarajevu. Ideja osnivača je da se kroz rad Fondacije što veći broj mladih ljudi, kako u našoj zemlji tako i u regiji, upozna i uči odgovornoj političkoj teoriji i praksi. Iako Fondacija djeluje na socijalno liberalnim polazištima, odlučilo se ovim obrazovnim procesom obuhvatiti i mlade ljude koji su dijelom različitih organizacija, političkih ili nevladinih, drugačijih ubjeđenja, ali i one koji individualno žele unaprijediti svoja znanja o političkoj kulturi. Pitanje sprege morala i politike bilo je od velike važnosti za našeg kolegu Borisa Divkovića i upravo je jedna od prvih značajnijih aktivnosti Fondacije organizacija Akademije političke odgovornosti u kojoj su učestvovali mladi brojnih političkih orijentacija i profila. U novembru 2016. godine održana je treća Akademija političke odgovornosti, a zbog velikog interesa polaznika u maju ove godine organiziran je i njen drugi modul. Teme su obuhvatile: opšti pojam političke kulture, njen razvoj i važnost, dominantnu paradigmu regionalne političke kulture iz perspektive koncepcije svjetskog etosa, religiju kao podcjenjeno mjesto političke socijalizacije. Razgovarali smo o ekonomiji u području politike, kulturi sjećanja. Također, predstavljeni su globalni politički portreti ličnosti poput Vaclava Havela i Wangari Muta Maathai, te regionalni politički portreti kao što su: Zoran Đinđić, Vlado Gotovac, Bogić Bogićević I Boris Divković. Drugi modul išao je detaljno u političko-ekonomske paradigme sa stajališta svjetskog etosa, religiozne socijalne nauke, itd. Posebna pažnja posvećena je ekološkim temama.

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