With pressure mounting on Bulgaria in the run-up to EU Accession in 2007, the government is pushing administrative reform as a major priority. A new ministry charged with this task was created last year and almost €200 million has been earmarked for improving state administration and building administrative capacity between 2007 and 2013.
In a recent interview with eupolitix.com, Nikolay Vassilev talked about his plans for an ‘Operational programme’ for administrative reform which he sees as having three main priorities: modernisation of the administration and reduction of bureaucracy; development of human resources; and eGovernment.
In relation to eGovernment, Vassilev expressed the intention to invest significantly in this area in 2006. Investment is needed in hardware, to provide more computers for administrative offices, particularly smaller municipalities, so as to improve connectivity across the country. A large-scale training programme will be undertaken to ensure that civil servants are able to acquire the necessary IT skills, and eSignature capacity will be developed so as to facilitate the provision of eGovernment services to citizens and businesses.
The ministry is also currently preparing a new eGovernment law which will set out the legal framework for the future eGovernment system.
