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Description
Exercising of rights, participation in discussions and civic control over the work of competent authorities start with access to the documents drafted by public institutions. Access to information is a precondition for exercising the remaining human rights. The Bulgarian Access to Public Information Act (APIA) was adopted in 2000 and the fight for its implementation has not been over yet. Meanwhile international standards and initiatives in this field have evolved. In 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 goals. One of the subgoals of Goal 16 is to ensure public access to information by means of adopting and implementing the relevant legislation. At present more specific indicators to achieve Goal 16.10 are developed. Still, APIA has not introduced a body responsible for monitoring and control of the law implementation. The need for such a body has been constantly reiterated. In addition, Bulgaria has not taken steps to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention. Furthermore, the drafting of reports for the implementation of sustainable development goals will also require a coordination body. At the same time our organization, an NGO with a 22-year-old experience in the application of APIA, drafts annual reports on the implementation of the law. This project aims at creating an environment to discuss the issues related to the application of APIA which can assist public institutions at national and local level in implementing the international standards related to access to information. The Access to Information Forum will benefit both the administration and the representatives of civil society organizations and citizens by providing a forum for debate, surveys, models and their sharing in national and international networks.