Anti-Corruption Reforms in Bulgaria

This report was produced by in 2005 by Coalition 2000, a public-private partnership working against corruption in Bulgaria.

The report includes an examination of anti-corruption measures introduced in Bulgaria since 1997, and highlights the challenges to be faced in the run-up to EU accession.

The first section focuses on an assessment of levels of corruption, the prevalence of corruption among professional groups, and public attitudes to corruption. Section Two moves on to examine the implementation of the post-1997 national anti-corruption strategy: this includes an evaluation of the role of government institutions and legislative reform. In Section Three, the authors review constitutional and legal reforms, and assess the measures required to combat corruption and promote financial independence in the judiciary. Section Four concerns corrupt practices in the economic sector. Section Five looks at the role of non-governmental organisations, the media and the education sector in anti-corruption reform

Although in conclusion the authors identify many positive trends in the fight against corruption in Bulgaria, they note that the latter part of 2004 saw a small increase in administrative corruption, which may indicate that new policies are required in this area. Large-scale and political corruption, both of which have a marked impact on the economy, have been largely unaffected by the reforms. The authors recommend that reform of the judiciary and law enforcement should be prioritised; in addition, further work against organised crime is of paramount importance and particular emphasis should be given to reducing its influence in government.

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Anti-Corruption Reforms in Bulgaria