With support of
The Bulgaria Fund of the German Marshall Fund of the U.S.
In partnership with The Ministry of Defence of Bulgaria
RESEARCH PROJECT
TRANSPARENCY OF DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OF BULGARIA
Opening Conference: October 28 (Tuesday) 2008, Sofia
Closing Conference: May 14 (Thursday) 2009, Sofia
THE PROJECT
The problem The principal problem is that defence transformation within the overall process of security sector reform is still an area where the considerable progress is politically, socially and operationally insufficient. Significant management and leadership problems continue to impact the effectiveness, and efficiency of Ministry of Defence’s business processes. This places armed forces capabilities at risk by unnecessary spending funds that could be directed to higher priorities related to modernization, readiness and operations.
Thesis Transparency and accountability in defence institution are vital for its own health. There is a little doubt that a system in which information is freely available is a better system than one where everything is hidden. Expanding the information about defence and engagement of educated civilian experts and organisations will change significantly the environment of defence decision making. Changed environment will make both politicians and military elite much more responsible for taken and not taken decisions. Healthy political system is one in which the government of the day feels that it should be open about aspects of defence.
The result Establishing of a set of criteria for measuring transparency and accountability and educating experts how to contribute to more effective and democratic governance of defence will move the societies and their military closer to the internationally accepted norms in defence sector and the Trans-Atlantic values. Such outcome will establish better environment for stronger and closer cooperation in the face of the fast growing common security challenges.
Project goal and objectives
- To explain the problem of having unclear and non-transparent defence decision making process for both the defence institution and civil society and to identify the framework of the entire situation comparing the Bulgarian current way of governance and civil control with the traditional Trans-Atlantic standards and their modern interpretation.
- To define a modern methodological approach and create a set of criteria for assessment of defence effectiveness and accountability gathering experience throughout the Trans-Atlantic community.
- To study and evaluate the level of effectiveness and accountability of defence institution of Bulgaria, design, and implement a set of measures to influence more efficiently the defence decision making process, parliamentarian control and civil oversight in order to bring citizens closer to the governance of defence and influence defence establishment to be more transparent, systematically accountable and responsible.
- To establish a network of interested and capable young people and NGO in Bulgaria and support their qualification on defence governance monitoring and analysing and this way to enhance their capacity, and country study, and executive briefings.
- To create a stable background of a network for sustainable and innovative non-governmental oversight and influence on defence institutions and their performance.
ПРОЗРАЧНОСТТА В ПРОЦЕСА НА ВЗЕМАНЕ НА РЕШЕНИЯ В МИНИСТЕРСТВОТО НА ОТБРАНАТА -Text in Bulgarian
