Center NGOs Razgrad

The NGOs Centre in Razgrad, http://ngo-rz.org, is a known and renown local NGO with proven capacity and well trained team. The organization has six-year specialization in the work with the court and a very good partnership with public institutions on local and regional level: court http://court.ngo-rz.org/ and police: http://police.ngo-rz.org.

During the last years our organization continuously develops a capacity as citizen observer of the institutions in Razgrad and in the district. The serious experience and the steady developed partnership with the local authorities is our advantage.

The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is a bearer of the award Golden key for access to public information for 2007 for important contribution for improvement of the transparency in the local authority. In 2005 and 2006 we were awarded with placates for the active usage of the Law for access to information and the conducting of procedures for access to information with a great public importance from the Program Access to information.

The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is the only NGO in Razgrad, which demands transparency, publicity and accountability in the actions of the local authority. We have handed in more than 100 statements for access to public information for public orders, business deeds, contracts, remunerations, municipal property, public expenditures and other information, which is public and is related to the citizens as tax payers.

The NGOs Center in Razgrad has made programs for five years, for implementing the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LPDV), www.ngo-rz.org.

Up to the moment we have won over thirteen legal procedures against Razgrad Municipality and other institutions with enforced decisions. Since 2004 the NGOs Centre in Razgrad very actively uses the Law for access to public information. We have received over 4500 pages official documents from controlling institutions (The Finance Palace and the Agency for state financial inspection) for conducted checks and audits of the Municipal administration in Razgrad.

We know well the local processes of development and the mechanisms of taking of decisions in the local institutions. Our interests in the local development are in the area of strengthening the democratic institutions, ethnic minorities, hindered groups, social services and citizen rights. We have special skills at management of public funds and attraction of complimentary resources.

The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is the first and sole citizen organization, which possesses seven realized projects on the theme of citizen observance of the court and support for the reform on local level. The NGOs Centre is among the founders and initiators for the creation of national NGO network for civil court watch, which was created on the 2nd of June in 2007 by 17 NGOs in Razgrad.

The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is actively involved in the process of policy and improve regulation with certain proposals. At the end of 2009 was amended Law on Protection against Domestic Violence. And a year later - the Law to Prevent and Identify Conflicts of Interest.

In May 2011 the NGOs Centre proposes decree against petty hooliganism to be repealed and declared unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court contextualizes NGO Center in Razgrad as a party to proceedings initiated and delivered an opinion in support of the request for declaring the impugned provisions unconstitutional. The problem was exposed in the public space and respect to it took the Ombudsman of the Republic Konstantin Pentchev, who asked Parliament to repeal the decree. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court criticized and defined by our rule as contrary to the constitutional freedoms of citizens.

The NGOs Center has initiated to improve the transparency of the websites of the courts in Northern Bulgaria, after the recommendations we made in the Progressive Report. We received a positive opinion from the Committee on Vocational Training, IT and statistics. Report presented to them on the progress of the court in northern Bulgaria was discussed at the session of the Committee on Vocational Training, IT and statistics. By decision of the committee chairperson, Radka Petrova, recommends that all administrative managers to improve access to information on the websites of the courts. The recommendations are given guidelines to be published LPICI declarations of all employees and information is updated daily.

Up to the moment the organization has realized seven projects for civil court watch in Bulgaria. According to the local specifics are observed also conflicts of interest in the judiciary, problems with the ethical behavior of magistrates and not proven contacts with compromised persons. The goal of the projects is the improvement of the functioning of the court on national level through the public making of good practices of citizen observance of the court. Thanks to the projects the local community is informed about the obligation of the court to offer justice for the hindered groups of citizens and as citizen observer follows the reaching of the effect from the process of democratization of the judiciary.

We are member of the Citizen expert council to the Supreme Justice Court and the Public council to the Minister of Justice Margarita Popova.

In 2004-2005 our organization realized a project “Civil court watch in Razgrad”, with support of the Institute “Open Society” www.courtwatch.osf.bg. The pilot project was directed toward the observation of civil procedures connected with violence over women, observed in the District and Regional Court- Razgrad.

During the last six years we develop successfully Consultative Centre for domestic violence problems. We give juridical assistance and psychological support to the victims of violence. We have developed for the first time a specialized program for the perpetrators of violence. Our partners are the District court, the Regional police department, the Social services.

The organization has over 10 year experience in projects at informing and incorporating of the public in discussions of important issues. For the period February 2010- April 2011 are conducted 20 information meetings, 12 briefings and 20 press conferences, conducted are over 110 publications in the print media and 40 transmittances in the electronic media. The leader of the project Georgi Milkov has participated in 5 publicity events, has given 20 interviews and was a part of 2 public discussions, organized by local and central media.

The Center of NGO in Razgrad has rich experience in the giving of information, education and technical support of NGO and other groups and institutions from the region. For example, in 2007 we trained 40 representatives of the ethnic minorities from North Eastern Bulgaria how to apply successfully for jobs in the police- a project, financed by program MATRA/CAP of the Embassy of Holland.

In 2009 on project “Development of National NGO network for citizen observance of the Judiciary”, the NGOs Centre conducted a training with representatives of 25 NGOs from three plan regions in Bulgaria. The trained NGOs joined the National NGO network. In 2010 the organization trained consecutively 20 representatives of the district courts in Northern Bulgaria and 20 citizen activists from NGO how to organized and conduct a citizen observance of the court.

On 28.06.2011 was conducted a conference “Justicе close to the people”, under the aegis of the Minister of Justice Margarita Popova. During the forum in front of the public was presented a report for the success of the court in Northern Bulgaria, developed as a result of the conducted civil observance into the work of 20 courts. The results of the conference and of the report were shared in detail in two national print and electronic media- “24 hours” and “Standart”. Thanks to two of the most read newspapers our idea gained a wide publicity. The newspaper “Standart” has over 35 000 pieces daily. “24 hours” is published into 60 000 – 70 000 pieces daily. The newspaper “Legal world” described in detail how was the conference conducted and who are the participants in it. In the next paragraphs of the article we see a resume of the presented by the leader project Report for the advance of the court in Northern Bulgaria.

The most detailed media presentation of the “Progress Report of the Court in Northern Bulgaria” was received in http://www.vsekiden.com/97451. The media has fully presented the statements and recommendations in the report.

We successfully realized the observance of the local police and developed a system for public observance http://police.ngo-rz.org. The NGOs Centre in Razgrad has a unique six year experience in the work of the local police and we have successfully realized four projects for strengthening the capacity of the local police services in Razgrad.

We have created a National network for citizen observance in June 2007, as a unique citizen unit for support of the judiciary reform in Bulgaria. In the network participate over 47 local organizations with experience in the democratic reforms. It is an active member of the Association of the social enterprises in Bulgaria (2005). Since 2005 the Center of NGO is an active member in the Network for social services and of the Regional network “The police in proximity to the minorities”, created in Bucharest, Romania (May 2004). In the summer of 2006 we joined the Civicl coalition foro sustained usage of the funds of the EU in Bulgaria: http://bluelink.info/eu-funds/.




	NGOs Centre Projects Resources Bulletin For us Bulgarian		History Mission Team Awards The NGOs Centre in Razgrad, http://ngo-rz.org, is a known and renown local NGO with proven capacity and well trained team. The organization has six-year specialization in the work with the court and a very good partnership with public institutions on local and regional level: court http://court.ngo-rz.org/ and police: http://police.ngo-rz.org. During the last years our organization continuously develops a capacity as citizen observer of the institutions in Razgrad and in the district. The serious experience and the steady developed partnership with the local authorities is our advantage. The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is a bearer of the award Golden key for access to public information for 2007 for important contribution for improvement of the transparency in the local authority. In 2005 and 2006 we were awarded with placates for the active usage of the Law for access to information and the conducting of procedures for access to information with a great public importance from the Program Access to information. The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is the only NGO in Razgrad, which demands transparency, publicity and accountability in the actions of the local authority. We have handed in more than 100 statements for access to public information for public orders, business deeds, contracts, remunerations, municipal property, public expenditures and other information, which is public and is related to the citizens as tax payers. The NGOs Center in Razgrad has made programs for five years, for implementing the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LPDV), www.ngo-rz.org. Up to the moment we have won over thirteen legal procedures against Razgrad Municipality and other institutions with enforced decisions. Since 2004 the NGOs Centre in Razgrad very actively uses the Law for access to public information. We have received over 4500 pages official documents from controlling institutions (The Finance Palace and the Agency for state financial inspection) for conducted checks and audits of the Municipal administration in Razgrad. We know well the local processes of development and the mechanisms of taking of decisions in the local institutions. Our interests in the local development are in the area of strengthening the democratic institutions, ethnic minorities, hindered groups, social services and citizen rights. We have special skills at management of public funds and attraction of complimentary resources. The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is the first and sole citizen organization, which possesses seven realized projects on the theme of citizen observance of the court and support for the reform on local level. The NGOs Centre is among the founders and initiators for the creation of national NGO network for civil court watch, which was created on the 2nd of June in 2007 by 17 NGOs in Razgrad. The NGOs Centre in Razgrad is actively involved in the process of policy and improve regulation with certain proposals. At the end of 2009 was amended Law on Protection against Domestic Violence. And a year later - the Law to Prevent and Identify Conflicts of Interest. In May 2011 the NGOs Centre proposes decree against petty hooliganism to be repealed and declared unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court contextualizes NGO Center in Razgrad as a party to proceedings initiated and delivered an opinion in support of the request for declaring the impugned provisions unconstitutional. The problem was exposed in the public space and respect to it took the Ombudsman of the Republic Konstantin Pentchev, who asked Parliament to repeal the decree. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court criticized and defined by our rule as contrary to the constitutional freedoms of citizens. The NGOs Center has initiated to improve the transparency of the websites of the courts in Northern Bulgaria, after the recommendations we made in the Progressive Report. We received a positive opinion from the Committee on Vocational Training, IT and statistics. Report presented to them on the progress of the court in northern Bulgaria was discussed at the session of the Committee on Vocational Training, IT and statistics. By decision of the committee chairperson, Radka Petrova, recommends that all administrative managers to improve access to information on the websites of the courts. The recommendations are given guidelines to be published LPICI declarations of all employees and information is updated daily. Up to the moment the organization has realized seven projects for civil court watch in Bulgaria. According to the local specifics are observed also conflicts of interest in the judiciary, problems with the ethical behavior of magistrates and not proven contacts with compromised persons. The goal of the projects is the improvement of the functioning of the court on national level through the public making of good practices of citizen observance of the court. Thanks to the projects the local community is informed about the obligation of the court to offer justice for the hindered groups of citizens and as citizen observer follows the reaching of the effect from the process of democratization of the judiciary. We are member of the Citizen expert council to the Supreme Justice Court and the Public council to the Minister of Justice Margarita Popova. In 2004-2005 our organization realized a project “Civil court watch in Razgrad”, with support of the Institute “Open Society” www.courtwatch.osf.bg. The pilot project was directed toward the observation of civil procedures connected with violence over women, observed in the District and Regional Court- Razgrad. During the last six years we develop successfully Consultative Centre for domestic violence problems. We give juridical assistance and psychological support to the victims of violence. We have developed for the first time a specialized program for the perpetrators of violence. Our partners are the District court, the Regional police department, the Social services. The organization has over 10 year experience in projects at informing and incorporating of the public in discussions of important issues. For the period February 2010- April 2011 are conducted 20 information meetings, 12 briefings and 20 press conferences, conducted are over 110 publications in the print media and 40 transmittances in the electronic media. The leader of the project Georgi Milkov has participated in 5 publicity events, has given 20 interviews and was a part of 2 public discussions, organized by local and central media. The Center of NGO in Razgrad has rich experience in the giving of information, education and technical support of NGO and other groups and institutions from the region. For example, in 2007 we trained 40 representatives of the ethnic minorities from North Eastern Bulgaria how to apply successfully for jobs in the police- a project, financed by program MATRA/CAP of the Embassy of Holland. In 2009 on project “Development of National NGO network for citizen observance of the Judiciary”, the NGOs Centre conducted a training with representatives of 25 NGOs from three plan regions in Bulgaria. The trained NGOs joined the National NGO network. In 2010 the organization trained consecutively 20 representatives of the district courts in Northern Bulgaria and 20 citizen activists from NGO how to organized and conduct a citizen observance of the court. On 28.06.2011 was conducted a conference “Justicе close to the people”, under the aegis of the Minister of Justice Margarita Popova. During the forum in front of the public was presented a report for the success of the court in Northern Bulgaria, developed as a result of the conducted civil observance into the work of 20 courts. The results of the conference and of the report were shared in detail in two national print and electronic media- “24 hours” and “Standart”. Thanks to two of the most read newspapers our idea gained a wide publicity. The newspaper “Standart” has over 35 000 pieces daily. “24 hours” is published into 60 000 – 70 000 pieces daily. The newspaper “Legal world” described in detail how was the conference conducted and who are the participants in it. In the next paragraphs of the article we see a resume of the presented by the leader project Report for the advance of the court in Northern Bulgaria. The most detailed media presentation of the “Progress Report of the Court in Northern Bulgaria” was received in http://www.vsekiden.com/97451. The media has fully presented the statements and recommendations in the report. We successfully realized the observance of the local police and developed a system for public observance http://police.ngo-rz.org. The NGOs Centre in Razgrad has a unique six year experience in the work of the local police and we have successfully realized four projects for strengthening the capacity of the local police services in Razgrad. We have created a National network for citizen observance in June 2007, as a unique citizen unit for support of the judiciary reform in Bulgaria. In the network participate over 47 local organizations with experience in the democratic reforms. It is an active member of the Association of the social enterprises in Bulgaria (2005). Since 2005 the Center of NGO is an active member in the Network for social services and of the Regional network “The police in proximity to the minorities”, created in Bucharest, Romania (May 2004). In the summer of 2006 we joined the Civicl coalition foro sustained usage of the funds of the EU in Bulgaria: http://bluelink.info/eu-funds/.