Bulgaria Marks 30 Years of Access to Information Progress

Bulgaria is marking thirty years of the Access to Information Programme, the civic initiative that has helped push open the doors of state institutions.

According to a report in Dnevnik, the contrast between then and now is dramatic: today, anyone can read the transcripts of government meetings online. Two decades ago, a journalist had to go to court to obtain that same kind of information.

The programme’s early years were defined by legal battles over access to important state documents. One landmark case involved the contract between the Bulgarian state and the British company Crown Agents for customs reform. At the time, securing a copy of that agreement required legal action.

Such victories established the principle that information held by public bodies belongs to the public. They also helped create a legal framework that now gives citizens the right to request documents from ministries, municipalities, and other institutions.

The Access to Information Programme has continued to file cases when access is denied, train journalists and activists in using the law, and push for proactive publication of data.

The recent decision to publish government meeting transcripts is seen as one of the biggest successes of the transparency movement. Yet advocates note that work remains, especially in ensuring timely responses and more open data across all levels of government.

Thirty years on, the programme’s work stands as a reminder that access to information is not just a legal right but a foundation of democratic accountability.

For the full story of the programme’s history, readers can consult Dnevnik’s feature.