Transparency International-Bulgaria is an independent non-political organization of people with long-term interest in the field of research, analysis and suggestions for an effective anti-corruption control. It was founded in June 1998 in Sofia as the first national chapter in South-East Europe. TI-Bulgaria actively participates in the global anti-corruption movement and contributes to the process of establishment of the national anti-corruption Integrity system.
The Centre is an initiative of Transparency International – Bulgaria started with the kind financial support of the German Foreign Ministry and the French Foreign Ministry.
It is a part of the project “Advocacy and Legal Advise Centres in South East Europe”, which includes the building of Centres for legal advise and advocacy in a number of states in South East Europe. Such centres have already been created or are currently being set up in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, Moldova and Serbia.
The establishment of this Centre has been provoked by the necessity to improve the existent level of civil knowledge on the challenges, facing the citizens in counteracting everyday corruption, as well as raising their awareness on the approaches and mechanisms for combating corruption at legislative and institutional levels.
The aim of the Centre is to give an opportunity to the citizens to take an active part in combating corruption by providing them with legal advice in support of their efforts for pursing corruption crimes, committed by public officials.
In this respect a free telephone line has been established, where victims or witnesses of corruption crimes are able to refer their signals of corruption.
The activity of the Centre is also aimed at increasing the capacity of public institutions for working with citizens when receiving complaints of corruption. In this context the efforts of the Centre’s team are a part of the efforts for raising public trust in state institutions and the introduction of systematic improvements (legislative, administrative and institutional) in the fight against corruption.
