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Integrated report on corruption and trafficking in women

Author(s): Nadya Stoynova,Atanas Rusev,Maria Yordanova / Language(s): English

Trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation is a criminal business of transnational nature, ranking third after narcotics and arms trafficking in generating huge amounts of illegal profit. THB in all its manifestations is a dangerous crime that results in significant psychological, emotional, financial and often physical harm to victims, representing a serious violation of human rights. Despite the seriousness of the crime, law enforcement and criminal justice authorities across the world encounter various problems in investigating and punishing perpetrators. One important barrier is corruption, which – as with other criminal enterprises – is a significant facilitating mechanism.

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Corruption and trafficking in women: The case of Bulgaria

Author(s): Tihomir Bezlov,Maria Yordanova,Nadya Stoynova / Language(s): English

Corruption is an important facilitating mechanism for human trafficking. The link between the two crimes is especially relevant in countries like Bulgaria, which traditionally have had very levels of trafficking. Corruption is believed to be one of the key instruments adopted by organised criminal groups to avoid detection and obstruct counter-trafficking efforts. Although the use of corruption is often mentioned along with human trafficking, few studies have empirically explored the factors and mechanisms behind this nexus.

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Anti-Corruption Policies Revisited: WP9 Organised crime and impact on vulnerable groups (ANTICORRP Integrated Report)

Author(s): Salvatore Sberna,Alberto Vannucci,Tihomir Bezlov,Dimitar Markov,Maria Karayotova,Ana Hećimović,Iva Nenadić,Munir Podumljak,Péter Gyimesi,Szidónia Nagy,Boróka Pápay,Zoltán Szántó,István János Tóth,Edona Krasniqi / Language(s): English

This integrated report investigates the link between political corruption and organised crime, by examining the modalities, resources and strategies used by criminal groups to govern and/or capture the market of political corruption. On the one hand, the report looks at the infiltration of organised crime in three main policy sectors where public spending and regulations play a pivotal role: public procurement, the privatization of public services, and management of EU funds. Alongside this, the report also analyses the criminal penetration of electoral politics, by evaluating the influence that criminal organisations can achieve in electoral arenas. As a result, the report provides a general assessment of policy regulations, legal countermeasures and practices adopted to prevent and combat organised crime, especially in interaction with political corruption. The report is drawn from data collected in five European countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo) across the above themes, and includes two more countries for the assessment of anti-organised crime legislation and initiatives (Albania and Georgia). The methodology involves both extensive and intensive strategies of investigation. A quantitative assessment of the crime and politics nexus is based on the Organised Crime & Corruption (OCC) events database, in which events data about the link between criminal groups and political corruption have been gathered and assembled1. A qualitative assessment involves in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of corrupt exchanges, presented as single case studies conducted in the countries covered by this study, inclusive of primary and secondary sources (interviews, legal proceedings, academic and policy-oriented reports). Data collection and analyses were conducted by five institutions across Europe (EUI, CSD, BCE, IKS, PSD).

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CLEAN FUTURE. Anti-Corruption Action Plan for Bulgaria. Monitoring. Corruption Assessment Indices

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

The Anti-Corruption Action Plan has been developed within the framework of the Coalition 2000 process with the purpose of becoming part of the social agenda as a broadly approved system of measures and actions for curbing the extremely dangerous social phenomenon of corruption. The Anti-Corruption Action Plan gained credit as a document, which was often referred to in Bulgaria and used in other countries as a model for mapping out national anti-corruption priorities. In the words of George Soros, the Bulgarian anti-corruption plan is the most comprehensive and ambitious document of its kind.

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'Brain Drain' in Transition of Science

Author(s): Daniela Bobeva / Language(s): English

The paper analysis the reasons why Bulgaria is one of the specific cases of science development and 'Brain Drain'. Bulgaria is one of the countries with the largest share of unemployed with higher education - 17% of all unemployed. The unemployment promotes the emigration attidues among scientist. The data indicates that the Bulgarian science personnel is ageing. Less and less young people work in the research institutions. Special measures are needed in this respect on the part of the government for encouraging young people. Before the reforms Bulgaria used to have a highest standard by the indicator "employed in science per capita".

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Good Stories of Foreign Investment

Author(s): Daniela Bobeva / Language(s): English

The purchase of the Bulgarian state enterprise MAIZE PRODUCTS SPLTD is the first privatization deal completed in Bulgaria under the Transformation and Privatization of State and Municipal Enterprises Act. Being the first privatization deal, it has been accurately analyzed among experts, politicians and state privatization bodies. A year later it can be said that it has been a successful contract for both parties - the Bulgarian side and the Belgian group. This contract turned to be a good start for the Bulgarian privatization and the inflow of foreign investment. As Bulgaria is in the initial phase of attracting foreign capital, the prevailing investors in the country are the big multinational companies. This is the case of AMYLUM. Privatization process is one of the main mechanisms for channelling long-term large-scale foreign investment into Bulgarian industry. The biggest investors in the country turned to be the buyers of the large-scale Bulgarian enterprises. A mention should be made that foreign investors find investing in the country through privatizing more preferable. This way they are more confident about their investments. Practical problems about establishing a joint-venture in terms of the participation of each of the parties - appraisal, management and staff issues.,are sidestepped in the privatization deal. The purchase of the Bulgarian MAIZE PRODUCTS SPLTD is a pilot case of inward foreign investment through privatization. It points out the main problems foreign investors face in the country as well as the comparative advantages of the Bulgarian investment opportunities.

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BULGARIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ABSORPTION OF THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

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

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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The Hidden Economy in Bulgaria (General Public), November 2004

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

In the period November 18-29, 2004, Vitosha Research conducted a national representative survey of the "hidden economy" in the country, covering 959 respondents aged 18 and over. The survey employed the method of the face-to-face interview.

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Суаповите операции и дълговият проблем на България

Author(s): Daniela Bobeva,Plamen Oresharski / Language(s): Bulgarian

• I. The "internal / external debt" dichotomy; • II. Brady Bonds on Bulgarian Foreign Debt; • III. Swap operations; • IV. The legal framework of debt-to-equity swap; • V. Replacing internal and external debt against property.

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Оценка и анализ на резултатите от първата вълна на приватизацията в България

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

This report presents data and analysis of the results of three studies related to mass privatization in Bulgaria. The research was conducted in July 1997 and is part of the long-term strategy of the Center for the Study of Democracy to engage with the problems of the economic reforms in our country.

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Политика за развитие на капиталовия пазар в България, септември 1997

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

The existing legal and institutional framework and available technical facilities in the Bulgarian capital markets do not work very efficiently towards supporting a fully developed securities market. The necessary legislation, institutions and technical facilities must be put in place, so that, over time, a market will develop which will be able to absorb the volumes normal for a country of the size of Bulgaria and, potentially, international trades. The following discussion presents specific issues that need to be addressed, so that said purposes could be met.

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Програма за замяна на дълг, август 1995

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

Changes in recent years have placed the international business in a new economic environment. Despite the serious economic, financial and structural difficulties, Bulgaria has the potential for privatization, modernization of production and rapid economic growth, as it has never before.Bulgaria began reforms with a huge external debt inherited from the communist regime. Following the moratorium on foreign debt payments of March 29, 1990, negotiations with commercial creditor banks took place over three years. In June 1994 a debt reduction and servicing agreement was signed. It contains a special clause on the exchange of certain instruments against property provided that Bulgaria adopts a debt exchange program.

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Изследване на ефективността на западните консултантски компании, работещи за източноевропейски фирми, ноември 1994 г.

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

In April 1994, the Center for the Study of Democracy conducted a sociological study on "The Efficiency of Western Consulting Firms Working for Eastern European Companies". The project is funded by the EU with the coordinator Prof. Gabor Havani from the Industrial Economics Research Institute - Budapest. The countries of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Bulgaria take part. Experts from England and Ireland also participate in the study. The aim of the survey is to establish how much of the Bulgarian companies and enterprises conclude contracts with Bulgarian and Western consultancy firms, what is the subject of the consultation and what are the results for the consulting firm.

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Българските малки и средни предприятия и участието им в усвояването на структурните фондове на Европейския съюз. Презентация

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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Доклад за оценка на корупцията 1999

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

Limiting corruption in Bulgarian society calls not only for institutional and legal measures but also for establishing the rule of law. In this sense, it is of crucial importance to foster a political and economic culture based on trust and respect for public institutions, on transparency and openness in the actions of public administration, and the will to achieve stability and predictability of the economic and social environment. Coalition 2000 is an initiative of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations which was launched in the Spring of 1997 aimed at limiting corruption in Bulgarian society through a partnership between state institutions, non-governmental organizations, and individual personalities, who developed and have been implementing an Anti-Corruption Action Plan, Corruption Monitoring System, and an anti-corruption public awareness campaign. The Corruption Assessment Report 1999 follows the structure and approach of the Action Plan adopted by the Policy Forum of Coalition 2000 in November 1998. It presents a general evaluation of the state and dynamic of corruption in Bulgarian society and of the efforts to counteract it in 1999.

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Доклад за оценка на корупцията 2001

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

Limiting corruption in Bulgarian society calls not only for institutional and legal measures but also for establishing the rule of law. In this sense, it is of crucial importance to foster a political and economic culture based on trust and respect for public institutions, on transparency and openness in the actions of public administration, and the will to achieve stability and predictability of the economic and social environment. Coalition 2000 is an initiative of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations which was launched in the spring of 1997 aimed at limiting corruption in Bulgarian society through a partnership between state institutions, non-governmental organizations, and individuals, who developed and have been implementing an Anti-Corruption Action Plan, Corruption Monitoring System, and an anti-corruption public awareness campaign. The Corruption Assessment Report 2001 follows the structure and approach of the Action Plan adopted by the Policy Forum of Coalition 2000 in November, 1998. It presents a general evaluation of the state and dynamic of corruption in Bulgarian society and of the efforts to counteract corruption in the year 2001.

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Доклад за оценка на корупцията 2002

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

Coalition 2000 is an initiative of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations launched in the spring of 1997 with the aim to counter corruption in Bulgarian society through a partnership between state institutions, non-governmental organizations and individuals, who developed and have been implementing an Anti-Corruption Action Plan, a Corruption Monitoring System, and an anti-corruption public awareness campaign. The Corruption Assessment Report - 2002 follows the structure and approach of the Action Plan adopted by the Policy Forum of Coalition 2000 in November 1998. The Report contains a general evaluation of the state and dynamics of corruption in Bulgarian society and of anti-corruption efforts in the year 2002.

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Икономически и правни условия за развитието на малките и средни предприятия в България

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

The Policy Forum aims to identify those factors that will improve the economic and legal environment for the growth of the small and medium sized enterprise("SME") sector in Bulgaria. The forum has brought together some of the country's most influential individuals, representing various institutional and independent bodies, to discuss the constraints that are hindering the development of the SME sector and to propose and review various recommendations to overcome these obstacles

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Hidden Economy Indexes in Bulgaria 2002-2015: Results and Methodological Notes

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

The current document presents the methodology for calculation of the Hidden Economy Indexes in Bulgaria among the population and the business, as well as the results of the surveys for the period 2002-2015. Hidden economy surveys in Bulgaria have been carried out by the Center for the Study of Democracy and the market and social research agency Vitosha Research since 2002. Based on data from these surveys, a system of synthetic measurements in the form of composite indices for assessment of the hidden economy was developed. The reason for choosing these particular indicators was to reduce the multiple aspects of the hidden economy phenomenon to a manageable number of illustrative and easy to interpret the indices. The survey questions and sub-indexes, which form the Business Hidden Economy Index and the Index of the Hidden Economic Activity of the Population, are presented in the document. The authors underline the difference between the terms official economy (legal and reported), informal economy (legal, yet unreported), illegal (black) economy (illegal and unreported) and undeclared (gray) economy (legal, formally registered, yet unreported). The last three form the composite term hidden economy.

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Индекси на скритата икономика в България 2002-2015: резултати и методологически бележки

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

The current document presents the methodology for calculation of the Hidden Economy Indexes in Bulgaria among the population and the business, as well as the results of the surveys for the period 2002-2015. Hidden economy surveys in Bulgaria have been carried out by the Center for the Study of Democracy and the market and social research agency Vitosha Research since 2002. Based on data from these surveys, a system of synthetic measurements in the form of composite indices for assessment of the hidden economy was developed. The reason for choosing these particular indicators was to reduce the multiple aspects of the hidden economy phenomenon to a manageable number of illustrative and easy to interpret the indices. The survey questions and sub-indexes, which form the Business Hidden Economy Index and the Index of the Hidden Economic Activity of the Population, are presented in the document. The authors underline the difference between the terms official economy (legal and reported), informal economy (legal, yet unreported), illegal (black) economy (illegal and unreported) and undeclared (gray) economy (legal, formally registered, yet unreported). The last three form the composite term hidden economy.

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