Bulgarian Development Bank JSC is a public law organization within the meaning of Art. 3, para. 2, item 1 of the Access to Public Information Act (APIA). Pursuant to Art. 41, para. 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, citizens have the right to information from a state authority or institution on issues that represent a legitimate interest for them, provided that the information is not a state or other secret protected by law and does not affect the rights of others. The guarantee of the right to information is regulated by the Access to Public Information Act (APIA). For this purpose, the law defines both the obliged entities to ensure access to public information, and the content of the decisions for refusing such access. The law governs public relations related to the right of access to public information, which, within the meaning of this law, is any information related to public life in the Republic of Bulgaria and enabling citizens to form their own opinion about the activities of the obliged entities under the law.

When providing access to information, the following procedure is applied:

1. Right of access to public information – Every person meeting the requirements of Art. 4 of the APIA has the right of access.

What is public information

Public information is any information related to public life in the Republic of Bulgaria and enabling citizens to form their own opinion about the activities of Bulgarian Development Bank JSC. Information concerning specific borrowers, the amount of financing provided, the terms of concluded transactions and/or other parameters of specific commercial relations, as well as any other information protected as commercial and/or banking secrecy, classified information, or information containing personal data, does not constitute public information.

2. Application for access:

2.1. Submission and registration of an application for access is carried out every working day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Registry Office of Bulgarian Development Bank JSC – Sofia, 1 Dyakon Ignatiy St.;

2.2. The application must contain the requisites listed in Art. 25, para. 1 of the APIA.

2.3. If the application does not contain the required requisites, it will not be considered (Art. 25, para. 2 of the APIA). In such cases, BDB shall notify the applicant in writing about the circumstances under Art. 25, para. 2 of the APIA.

3. The period for reviewing applications is 14 days, starting from the date of registration of the application (Art. 28, para. 1 of the APIA).

4. The period may be extended only in the following cases:

4.1. Under Art. 29 of the APIA: when clarification of the application is needed – a new 14-day period begins from the clarification;

4.2. Under Art. 30 of the APIA: when extensive information is requested, for the preparation of which more time is needed – an extension of up to 10 days is permissible;

4.3. Under Art. 31 of the APIA: when the requested information relates to a third party and their consent is required – an extension of up to 14 days is permissible; consent must be requested in writing from the third party within 7 days from the registration of the application.

In all cases, the applicant is notified in writing of the extension of the period and the reason for it. On the day the application is received, BDB checks whether any of the provisions allowing an extension apply and prepares the relevant draft notification letters and letters to third parties requesting their consent under Art. 31 of the APIA.

5. Forwarding of the application: in the cases under Art. 32 of the APIA – within 14 days from the registration of the application. The forwarding letter is also sent in copy to the applicant.

6. Absence of the requested information: in the cases under Art. 33 of the APIA – the applicant is notified within 14 days from the registration of the application.

7. Forms of providing access to public information are listed in Art. 26 of the APIA. Information is to be provided in the form requested by the applicant, except in the cases under Art. 27 of the APIA.

8. Decision to provide or refuse access – once it is clarified what information is requested, where it is located, whether it can be provided, in what scope and in what form, a decision is prepared for granting full or partial access to the information, or for refusing access.

9. Appeals:

Decisions to grant full or partial access to public information or to refuse access to public information may be appealed before the respective Administrative Court, under the procedure of the Administrative Procedure Code.

10. Liability:

Administrative penal provisions contained in Chapter Five of the Access to Public Information Act.