The "Law and Internet" Foundation was invited to participate in conducting a comprehensive national assessment of the development of Internet in Bulgaria, using the framework of UNESCO's Internet Universality Indicators, supported by the Council of Europe. The study presented in the "Report for the National Assessment of Internet Development in Bulgaria" was carried out through a public procurement by the Ministry of Electronic Government (MEU), by the Civil Society "Law, Internet, Media, Communications and Culture", involving a consortium of experts in the fields of scientific research of three independent organisations - the Law and Internet Foundation, the Media 21 Foundation and the Communications and Culture Foundation. The experts from the Law and Internet Foundation who took part in the national study include Daniela Ilieva, Maria Lachova, Polina Petrova and Martina Bogdanova.
The Report serves as a universal research tool and represents a significant source of information on the development of the Internet environment in Bulgaria, designed to help institutions, as well as all stakeholders, to gain a clear understanding of the current state of the Internet environment, to assess its compliance with UNESCO's principles on rights, accessibility for all and multi-stakeholder principles, and to formulate policy recommendations and practical actions to bring it into compliance.
The main objectives of the Report include:
- Assessment of the Internet environment and policies in relation to the implementation of UNESCO's Principles on Rights, Openness, Accessibility for All and Multi-stakeholder Principles (ROAM X);
- Analysis and evaluation of the individual indicators and the issues they relate to, as well as an overall assessment of the themes and categories;
- Recommendations to help government authorities and stakeholders develop a clear and substantive understanding of the state of the national Internet environment and formulate policy recommendations, develop a national policy and regulatory legal framework, and practical initiatives that will enable them to achieve their goals and bring the Internet environment in Bulgaria in line with UNESCO principles.
The study plays a crucial role in addressing the digital divide in Bulgaria and ensuring internet development in the country. The report is a valuable tool that takes into account human rights and creates opportunities for cooperation between different stakeholders.
