Strategies for achieving accountable, open and transparent government as illustrated in the case of Bulgaria

Abstract

Because of its importance as an institution, ensuring the accountability and openness of government is a central concern of all democratic societies. In this article, we first examine various means of achieving accountable government, both in general terms and as regards specific strategies. We identify three general categories of mechanisms to encourage governmental accountability with a particular emphasis upon openness and transparency. We then review both prior and new policies being implemented by the government of Bulgaria to achieve an accountable, open and transparent government. Particular attention is given to efforts to limit corruption in Bulgarian government through the introduction of new policies in the areas of openness and transparency.