Description
The project addresses the lack of transparency and publicity in the prison system and probation system in particular. The project aims at encouraging NGOs to become involved in decision/policy-making together with the local, regional and national authorities. First, the monitoring of the probation system will be planned. The monitoring will comprise of 2 parts: a desk study and in-depth interviews. Second, during the desk study a comparative analysis of the Bulgarian legal framework and institutional development and the Community acquis will be carried out. 100 representatives of the prison system (officers, inmates and organizations) will be covered during the in-depth interviews in 10 regional prisons. Third, the findings will be presented in a report during 3 information days each attended by at least 40 representatives of the target groups. The project will benefit NGOs, decision-makers, prison staff and inmates, public administration servants and the public in general.
Summary of project results
The project was necessary as Bulgaria lacked so far publicity of the probation system. The project aimed at promoting the involvement of NGOs in the process of policy-making and decision-making together with the institutions on local, regional and national level, the ones involved in the probation system, in particular. The project goal and the planned outcomes were achieved because the project promoter managed to revive the model for monitoring of the probation system in the country via the report published and the related public events held. After the implementation of the independent monitoring under the project, it was possible to promote the work of the probation system. The involvement of the NGO sector raised awareness and interest in this aspect of the judiciary. Thus greater transparency and civic participation in the probation process were made possible. For the purpose of this project, Common framework for the implementation of independent monitoring on the legislative and institutional development of probation in Bulgaria was developed and a report from the independent monitoring held was drafted; in addition, a number of meetings were held in relation to the monitoring in the cities of Pleven, Plovdiv and Pazardjik with 120 attendees in total. The project implementation finished with an international conference attended by 8 EU experts. For more information and access to the project outcomes, please, visit:
http://iga-bg.org/proekti/monitoring/index.html
Summary of bilateral results