In Bulgaria both positive and negative cases concerning the role of NGOs are visible. There are issues of accountability, financial dependency and also corruption involved in civil society environment in recent years. Though there is no court litigation, the data from surveys show that NGOs perceive corruption to be an interwoven theme in their functioning. Frequently it is related to the funds from the EU, being managed by the state administration.
On the other hand, there are attempts of positive identification of the NGOs and improving the NGO image as a whole. Positive development can be seen through campaigns for personal data on internet protection, sms donations, and consolidation of civil society organisations efforts; advocacy campaigns for environment protection, against GMOs and against overdevelopment of various nature sites that have contributed to raising public awareness, participation and civic engagement.
The issue of participation in public policy making and decision-making of CSOs is problematic. Programming of the structural funds in Bulgaria was just another example of the deficiencies CSOs face in that direction. Programming as a whole was an unsuccessful exercise, where NGOs due to the formality of the process and the centralized manner of conduct were isolated. Only certain number of organisations has been part of the process. OSI-Sofia has initiated a broad campaign to improve next programming phase.
There is a positive tendency in initiating new policies and laws. The NGO advocacy function is improving. The amendments of the Legal acts law have been initiated by number of various NGOs, proposing clear set of rules for consultation with interested partied at the stage of drafting and enhancing impact assessment. Recently, the Bulgarian Center for Non-Profit Law within the Civic Participation forum have developed Rules for public consultations to facilitate the NGO-state institutions relations
The CSOs role in in drafting policies developed by state institutions is still limited; however, there are initiatives in that direction. The overall picture of the limited impact of civil society organisations draws a problematic image of civil society organisations as corrective of the policy formation and implementation process in the country. However, various advocacy activities influence legislation, public policies and public attitudes. Most of the campaigns are ad-hoc sporadic activities against a specific public measure, legislation or a certain project of attempting to consolidate civic platforms on national level for strategic actions and advocacy. The green organisations are mostly visible in public through their campaigns, protests, flash mobs and mobilization. Advocacy NGOs are also active in monitoring legislation and drafting in Bulgaria. A recent example is the case of advocacy against amendments in surveillance and access to personal data from the Ministry of Interior initiated by the Access to Information Foundation. The social services organisations focus on enhancing the role of service delivery and in monitoring the allocation of the EU funds in Bulgaria. Environmental organizations are continuously active against illegal overdevelopment in natural reserves and protected areas. There are various initiatives in enabling legal environment and creating opportunities for public consultation and NGO participation in decision- and policy-making.
There is no formalised procedure in nominating/electing representatives of civil society. Currently rules for NGO participation are in the focus of discussion aiming at ensuring better involvement of the CSOs in policy-making. The coalitions of NGOs launched in 2005 by a CEE Trust project managed by the Open Society Institute provide a background for consolidated efforts in the social services platform, regional development and human rights. However, further efforts in sustaining the platforms are necessary.
The environmental organisations have an online platform for nomination in various bodies and institutions. The so called civil e-representation is an internet-based platform for the selection of NGO representatives to various working groups and committees with institutions dealing with sustainable development and environmental issues. In order to effectively participate in this process, NGOs should register in the manner specified by the platform. The procedure for the selection of NGO representatives has been endorsed at the National Conference of NGOs operating in the filed of sustainable development and the environment held in 2002.
There is no formal procedure in cooperation with the Parliament and CSOs; however dialogue and cooperation with the CSOs in on the Parliament current work programme to regulate the relations and the possibilities of the NGOs and citizens to be actively involved in the process. The Parliament regulation states the possibility NGOs to be invited to attend the Parliament Committees meetings when discussing new drafts, strategies or legal amendments
Political parties are not considered part of civil society. Mostly they are seen as power-related. In that aspect, a lot of issues related to conflict of interests arise when speaking of political parties and civil society as it is estimated that a significant number of politicians are members of NGOs that receive funding under operational programmes.
There are issues of asymmetric scope of the CSOs. Most of them are registered in Sofia where the seats of the main institutions are. Also funding targeting local CSOs is practically non-existent. However, CIVICUS data show that CSOs on local level have better opportunities to exert impact and get invlved in local affairs.