USAID

Judicial Strenghtening Initiative (JSI) in Bulgaria

Program Overview

Download Judicial Strenghtening Initiative in Bulgaria Information Sheet

Media Sustainability Index (MSI) 2006: Bulgaria

The Judicial Strengthening Initiative in Bulgaria (JSI) was a three-year project of USAID and a continuation of USAID’s Judicial Development Project for Bulgaria (JDP). IREX and the Broadcast Training Center-ProMedia (BTC) worked cooperatively with the East-West Management Institute (EWMI) on JSI. JSI is now completed.

KEY ISSUES AND OBJECTIVES

Expand media's capacity to raise public awareness of the judicial reform process
Improve reporting on the judiciary and judicial reform

PROJECT RESULTS

New Penal Procedure Handbook published and distributed to media throughout country to assist in understanding and covering judicial system
Training for Judges and Media modules improve reporting in Bulgaria on the judiciary

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Public Awareness of the Judicial Reform Process: IREX’s partner, the Broadcast Training Center-ProMedia (BTC), works with local and national media throughout Bulgaria to help raise public awareness of the judicial reform process. BTC develops media materials for distribution to the public and to media outlets.
Reporting on the Judiciary: IREX and BTC work with media to improve their understanding of the judiciary in Bulgaria and key reforms as they are implemented. The project builds effective bridges between the judiciary and the media to improve media access while increasing the transparency of the judiciary.
Press Relations for the Judiciary, the Supreme Judicial Council, and the National Institute of Justice: IREX provides training and consulting to develop effective press relations departments, train spokespersons, and assist in the development of media relations guidelines. The aim of this training is to increase the transparency of judicial operations and improve relations with the press.

Project History

IREX began implementing media development projects in Bulgaria in 1995 under the USAID ProMedia Program. At the completion of the project in 2004, IREX local staff formed an independent organization, the Broadcast Training Center-ProMedia (BTC), which provides training and consulting to support independent media development. EWMI’s activities in Bulgaria commenced in 1999.

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