Bulgarian eGovernment Evolution: Initiatives, Progress, and Potentials

1. eGovernment Projects and Perspectives in the Bulgarian PublicAdministration Nedelcho Nedelchev Advisor to the Minister of State Administration and Administrative Reform of Bulgaria

2. BULGARIA FACT SHEET • POPULATION: 8 million • GDP: EUR 16 billion • ECONOMY: ~75% private • Free trade agreements with EU, EFTA, CEFTA, • GDP GROWTH: 4.8% • INFLATION: 3.8% • FDI 2004: EUR 3.2 billion

3. BULGARIA FACT SHEET (2) • Fixed line penetration – 80% of households • Mobile penetration – 65% of population • Internet usage – 25% of population • PC penetration – 20% of households • Computer literacy – 35% of population • Price of a PC as a % of monthly household income – 200 %

4. Timeline of eGovernment development in Bulgaria • Initiation period – 2002 eGovernment strategy and Action plan • Testperiod – 2003 / 2005 Pilot projects / Best practices • Period of dynamicdevelopment – 2005 / 2008 Full scale eGovernment implementation

5. eGovernment beginning 2002 - 2005 • eGovernment Strategy and Action plan – 2002 • Implementation of 20 indicative electronic services (European Commission list) for citizens and businesses • Development of electronic services at central and local level • Implementation of digital document systems and digital signature in Public Administration • General purpose, basic (conceptual) andmethodologicalprojects

6. Bulgarian eGovernment Pilot Projects • e-Government Services Central Portal: • change of address registration • personal social insurance info • company social insurance info • actual status of companies • Regional and Municipal Portal of Stara Zagoraregion and municipality: • Government property act • Complains to the Ministry of Interior • Birth certificate • Building permission Portals

7. Bulgarian eGovernment Pilot Projects • E-Services of the National Social Security Institute • Change in address registration, information about voting list • Submission of VAT declarations • Submission of tax declarations by citizens and companies • Submission of custom declaration • Submission of applications for small public procurements • Job seeking services • e-Register of public procurements • National Librarye-directory

8. Bulgarian eGovernment Pilot Projects Projects in progress • Trade Register • e-Healthcare

9. Period of dynamic development2005 / 2008Success factors in place • Political will to reform the administration • Organizational – new Ministry of state administration • Financial support from the state budget • Information society dynamic development

10. Directions of activities • Technical modernization ofthe administrations • IT training of civil servants • Development of e-services • At central level • At all institutions • eGovernment rules and framework development

11. Technical modernization ofthe Administration • HW & SW for the Municipalities and Regional Administrations • Electronic documents systems and e-signature

12. Training of civil servants • General IT skills and “digital” literacy • Project management and eGovernment skills for IT specialists • eServices development training for high level administrators

13. Administrative e-services development • Focus on high demand / high “return” e-services • State administration web sites standardization • Complex life-event based eServices development • Electronic documents workflow & e-signature • Central eGovernment Portal & environment integration

14. eGovernment rules and framework development • Interoperability standards • Registers of data and services • IT acquisition standards Law on eGovernment

15. Conclusions eGovernment in Bulgaria: • Political will • Holistic approach • Practical approach • Quick wins and long-term objectives balance