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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><big></big></font>George
Sadowsky wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:p0620072ec64847be76b6@%5B10.0.1.3%5D" type="cite">
<style type="text/css"><!--
blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li { padding-top: 0 ; padding-bottom: 0 }
--></style>
<title>Re: [governance] FYI: Letter from Bulgarian
Internet commu</title>
<div>All,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I believe that what Jefsey writes about platinum members of ISOC
being able to designate areas for standardization (presumably in the
IETF, since that's where that happens) is and incorrect. The
quote below does not come from the page he references. </div>
</blockquote>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">George, <br>
<br>
What Jefsey wrote does come directly from the document he links, if you
keep reading it after the quote you refer to. The full quote in the
document is:<br>
<br>
"The Platinum Sponsorship Program allows your company to specifically
designate areas or projects to be supported in the fields of a)
Standards, b) Public Policy or c) Education and Training. Your
organization will have enhanced, direct consultation with ISOC
regarding its activities in your funded area. Additional benefits also
apply."<br>
</font>
<blockquote cite="mid:p0620072ec64847be76b6@%5B10.0.1.3%5D" type="cite">
<div>The
actual quote on that page is: </div>
<blockquote>"<font color="#0057f1" face="ITC Officina Sans Bold"
size="+1">Supporting our Platinum Program gives your company the
ability to focus your contributions specifically on the essential work
of the IETF and our Standards activities.</font>."</blockquote>
<div>Supporting the standards activities in general is not the same
as, as he suggests, specifically designating areas or projects
to be supported in the fields of standards.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>George<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">Now that you know what he
quoted is correct, what are your comments on
it, as someone who I understand is closely associated with ISOC. BTW
the term 'enhanced .... consultations' reminds me of something :) but
that is another matter . <br>
<br>
I have a huge problem with anyone being allowed to buy a position on
the governance system of a body which is either closely involved in
policy making, or claims to be a civil society body (and ISOCs seems
to do both). I also have problem with providing any kind of preferred
access to policy spaces for private interests that are impacted by the
concerned policies, which is expressly mentioned in the above quote. My
concerns follow from what are hallowed canons of democratic societies,
and the fact that we are increasingly compromising them is indeed
alarming.<br>
<br>
I find these practices </font><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">fundamentally</font><small><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><big>
antithetical to building of legitimate and democratic governance and
civil
society structures and basically against public interest. However,
regrettably, the ideology behind these kinds of practices is catching
on which I think is one of the biggest dangers our society faces today.
(Remember, it was tried at the IGF as well, with a threat to pull out
funding if certain issues were raised at the IGF.)<br>
<br>
I brought up exactly the same point at the recent workshop on APC-CoE's
proposed code of good practices on participation, transparency etc. The
list of the IG organizations reviewed in the study done by David
Souter for the above proposed code included ISOC. I inter alia raised
the issue that we also need to review practices related to the
relationship of funding with seats in governance structures and
preferred access to policy spaces. This is an important aspect of
participation and transparency, which just cannot be left out.<br>
<br>
I earnestly hope that ISOC as a body involved in policy making, or as a
civil society entity, or both, will respond to these key issues that
are being raised about its practices. <br>
<br>
Parminder </big></font></small><br>
<br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">PS: At another place the
ISOC doc says: "...you can direct your support dollars towards the
Internet Society’s public policy activities and ensure that your voice
will be heard on these critical issues". Does ISOC act as a lobbying
organization on behalf of any big corporate that can afford to pay it?
Are the public policy positions of ISOC then not obviously
disproportionately influenced by these big corporate funders? These are
important questions ISOC must answer as a key player in the public
arena vis a vis IG issues. </font><br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:p0620072ec64847be76b6@%5B10.0.1.3%5D" type="cite">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<span></span>~~~~~</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>At 10:56 AM +0200 5/31/09, jefsey wrote:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">Je présente mes excuses au lecteurs
francophones à qui ce mail est copié. Il m'est apparu que
l'importance des documents présentés et le sujet considéré le
méritaient.<br>
jfc<br>
--------<br>
Nikola, Milton,<br>
The letter of Nikola and the answer of Milton are serious points worth
to careful consideration. Thank you, in particular at a time the
French Government wants to introduce a similar legislation to the
Bulgarian one (they all more or less copy and adapt Patriot Act).<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">I do not think ISOC makes any mystery
about this. ISOC consider they are the owner of the IETF which has
"strong participation from the computing, networking, and
telecommunications industries, from companies large and small" <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.isoc.org/isoc/membership/orgwhyjoin/membership2.pdf">
http://www.isoc.org/isoc/membership/orgwhyjoin/membership2.pdf</a>,
where ISOC "Platinum Sponsorship Program allows companies to
specifically designate areas or projects to be supported in the fields
of Standards".<br>
<br>
I currently oppose at key IETF/WG-IDNABIS that reading of the IETF by
some IETF/ISOC preeminent persons. However, I think the best way to
oppose is to build aside and make the two resulting stakeholders to
cooperate. This is why I first introduced the Internet Users
Contributing Group (<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://iucg.org">http://iucg.org</a> and its main <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:iucg@ietf.org">iucg@ietf.org</a> mailing
list) to permit users to contribute to the technology they use. I also
have introduced the <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://isoc-ipv6.org">http://isoc-ipv6.org</a> open proposition of a
"usage oriented IPv6" ISOC Chapter : at this stage ISOC
Secretariat said they did not wish to support it because there already
is an effort by them to support the "technical IPv6" (IMHO
the lack of IPv6 development comes from this misunderstanding between
a technical need and a user lack of information and documented
need).<br>
<br>
My idea is that the more the users (the Chapter should represent) can
be active or even leading at ISOC the best it is and the more ISOC can
really represent everyone.<br>
jfc<br>
<br>
<br>
At 19:41 30/05/2009, Milton L Mueller wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">Content-Language: en-US<br>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>
boundary="_000_75822E125BCB994F8446858C4B19F0D77B2209E2SUEX07MBX<span></span>04adsy_"<br>
<br>
<font color="#0000ff" size="-1">Nikola:<br>
It is good to know that there is an independent group of Bulgarian
Internet users.<br>
<br>
ISOC has a rather checkered history when it comes to defending rights
of individuals on the Internet. While there are many strong supporters
of Internet freedom in its ranks, as well as dedicated technical
veterans of the highest caliber, its international organizational
staff and business connections often lead it in strange directions.
And as they become more interconnected with authoritative Internet
governance institutions, ISOC often pursues agendas that
are....puzzling, to put it mildly. It is useful to recall in this
context ISOC's role in promoting the discredited gTLD-MoU, which would
have put WIPO and the ITU in a key governance role, and would have
allowed WIPO and INTA to have almost untrammeled authority over
resolving domain name trademark disputes. ICANN's UDRP, with all its
flaws, was quite liberal compared to what ISOC, WIPO, INTA and ITU
cooked up for us a dozen years ago.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br>
<font size="-1">Milton Mueller<br>
Professor, Syracuse University School of Information Studies<br>
XS4All Professor, Delft University of Technology<br>
------------------------------<br>
Internet Governance Project:<br>
</font><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://internetgovernance.org/"><font size="-1">http://internetgovernance.org</font></a><font
size="-1"><br>
</font> <br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""> <br>
At 18:41 30/05/2009, Nikola Geshev wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">Hello,<br>
Yesterday a letter from people of the Bulgarian Internet community was
sent to ISOC.<br>
You may be intereted to read it.<br>
Kind regards,<br>
Nikola Geshev<br>
Bulgarian Internet Users Group<br>
<br>
---------------------------------------------------------------------<span></span>-------------------------------<br>
<br>
Ms. Lynn St Amour<br>
President/CEO of ISOC<br>
Dear Ms. Amour,<br>
We would like to bring to your attention the issue that in a public
press-conference on May, 24th, Mr. Veni Markovski, head of the
Bulgarian chapter of Internet Society (ISOC) for more than 12 years
and also an ICANN employee, announced that ISOC Bulgaria supports the
candidates of “Coalition for Bulgaria” (leading party is Bulgarian
Socialist Party) for the upcoming elections for European parliament in
Bulgaria. (We attach many newspaper reports and web links in section
III of the appendix. In Section V of the appendix you may find some
reactions of the members of ISOC Bulgaria.)<br>
<br>
We are taken aback by the support of ISOC Bulgaria for a political
party. Shouldn't all ISOC chapters be politically neutral? We do not
deny the right of Mr. Veni Markovski to support personally any
candidate for the upcoming elections, only his right to cast an ISOC
branch as a supporter for one.<br>
<br>
In addition, the current ruling coalition in Bulgaria, lead by the
Bulgarian Socialist Party, took some actions that were highly
unpopular among the Bulgarian Internet users:<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">
<ul>
<li>In 2008, The State Agency for Information technologies
(whose
advisor is Mr. Markovski) and the Ministry of Interior affairs tried
to introduce a Decree that would enforce all Internet providers in
Bulgaria to collect and store for a long period practically complete,
and personally identifiable information about anything done by all
Internet users (eg. the sites they visited, the e-mails they wrote
etc.) According to the Decree, the police would be able to access all
of this information at any time, without the need for a court order or
an explanation why they might need it, without leaving any trace that
it was accessed, and without informing the Internet users that they
are, or have been tracked.
</li>
<li>The proposed decree met the strong opposition of the
Bulgarian
Internet community. The minister of Interior affairs, Mr. Mihail Mikov
wanted to make this a reality and added the texts in a law for the
amendment of “Law for electronic messages”. When the Bulgarian
parliament overthrew the proposed law, Mr. Mikov insisted for an
re-vote. The law was put by the ruling coalition, headed by BSP, for
re-vote four times (which is also against the Bulgarian constitution).
See part IV. of the attached appendix for more information.
</li>
<li>Strangely enough, Mr. Mikov is a member of the Internet
Society in
Bulgaria, as well as other government oficials who are members of BSP.
</li>
<li>More information about the mentioned cases is available
from the
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.bghelsinki.org/index.php?module=news&lg=en&id=1099"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.bghelsinki.org/index.php?module=news&lg=en&id=1099</u></font></a>
or from an online newspaper here: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://tinyurl.com/qrjpq9"><font color="#000080"><u>
http://tinyurl.com/qrjpq9</u></font></a> , <font color="#000080"><u>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://tinyurl.com/ot5duv">http://tinyurl.com/ot5duv</a></u></font> , <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://tinyurl.com/oqo6xk"><font color="#000080"><u>
http://tinyurl.com/oqo6xk</u></font></a> , <font color="#000080"><u>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://tinyurl.com/qdjv74">http://tinyurl.com/qdjv74</a></u></font> and <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://tinyurl.com/p88ba6"><font color="#000080"><u>
http://tinyurl.com/p88ba6</u></font></a>
</li>
<li>Several pan-European watchdogs have reported in recent
years that
the current Bulgarian Government is the most corrupt in the European
Union (See Section II from the attached Appendix). The National
Security agency, which is subservient to the Bulgarian prime minister
closed an Internet website that was spreading information about
corruption. You can find more information from “Reporters without
Borders” here: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28543"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28543</u></font></a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">We would like to know whether ISOC
supports the position of Mr. Markovski, and seconds his support for
parties that strive to implement this type of
legislation.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="">In case that ISOC doesn't support
such
positions, we would also like to know whether their dissent will be
only verbal, or will be backed by actions.<br>
<br>
<b>Bulgarian Internet Users Group<br>
</b>Attachments:<br>
<br>
<b>I. Articles from “Reporters Without Borders”<br>
</b><br>
1. Bulgaria - World Report 2009<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=31015"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=31015</u></font></a><font
color="#000080"><u><br>
</u></font><br>
<br>
2. Bulgaria - Annual Report 2008<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25469"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25469</u></font></a><font
color="#000080"><u><br>
</u></font><br>
<br>
3. Former interior minister says “spineless” journalist should be
“hit”<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29263"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29263</u></font></a><font
color="#000080"><u><br>
</u></font><br>
<br>
4. Threats against Frognews stepped up. Censored website Opasnite.net
reappears on Opasnite.eu<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28755"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28755</u></font></a><font
color="#000080"><u><br>
</u></font><br>
<br>
5. Vicious assault on editor of Frog News<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28692"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28692</u></font></a><font
color="#000080"><u><br>
</u></font><br>
<br>
6. Security agency closes corruption whistle-blower website<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28543"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=28543</u></font></a><font
color="#000080"><u><br>
</u></font><br>
<br>
<b>II. Bulgaria is the most corrupt country in the European
Union,
according to the Transparency International<br>
</b><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/report-unveils-eu-corrupt-countries/article-175668"><u><span></span>http://www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/report-unveils-eu-corrupt-cou<span></span>ntries/article-175668<font
color="#000080"><br>
</font></u></a><br>
<br>
<b>III. Newspaper articles that mention the ISOC Bulgaria support
for
“Coalition for Bulgaria”</b><br>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab>
</x-tab>“<b>Duma” newspaper</b>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Original: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.duma.bg/2009/0509/250509/bulgaria/bul-5.html"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.duma.bg/2009/0509/250509/bulgaria/bul-5.html</u></font></a></blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab> </x-tab>Archive: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=112957"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=112957</u></font></a></blockquote>
<blockquote>3.<x-tab> </x-tab>Partial
translation:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Internet
Society supports “Coalition for Bulgaria”</blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab> </x-tab>“We
support the list of Coalition for Bulgaria for the European elections,
because they are the politicians who work to protect the interests of
Internet users.” It was said by the chairman of the organization
"Internet Society in Bulgaria - Veni Markovski. ... “It is
important to support politicians who share our values and defend the
idea of using the Cyrillic alphabet in the virtual space”, also
stressed Markovski and thanked the Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev,
who is a member for years of the Internet Society.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab>
</x-tab>“<b>Monitor” newspaper</b>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Archive: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=112935"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=112935</u></font></a></blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab> </x-tab>Partial
translation:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>The
support of the Internet Society in Bulgaria for “Coalition for
Bulgaria” for the European parliament elections was presented
personally by the President of the Governing Board of the
organization, Veni Markovski. According to him, it is important to
support politicians who share the values of the organization to use
the Internet without restrictions and to protect the rights of
consumers. Markovski added that Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev and
President of the State Agency for Information Technologies and
Communications Plamen Vachkov also enjoy the support of the Internet
Society in Bulgaria.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>3.<x-tab>
</x-tab>“<b>Novinar” newspaper</b>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Original: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.novinar.net/?act=news&act1=det&stat=center&mater=Mjk1Mzs2MQ"><u><span></span>http://www.novinar.net/?act=news&act1=det&stat=center&ma<span></span>ter=Mjk1Mzs2MQ</u>
==</a></blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab> </x-tab>Archive: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=112952"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=112952</u></font></a></blockquote>
<blockquote>3.<x-tab> </x-tab>Partial
translation:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Yesterday,
the Internet Society - Bulgaria issued a statement that supports the
list of the Coalition for Bulgaria and its candidates in elections to
the European Parliament.</blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab> </x-tab>Cause the
organization to stand behind the red party was that Stanishev shared
values of society and the internet worked on consumer protection in
the virtual space. Close relationship between the organization and the
prime minister date for quite some years. During the celebration of
the 10th anniversary of the Internet Society - Bulgaria in 2006,
Stanishev attended as special guest.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>4.<x-tab>
</x-tab>“<b>Vsekiden” online edition</b>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Original: <a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.vsekiden.com/?p=51400"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.vsekiden.com/?p=51400</u></font></a></blockquote>
<blockquote>2.<x-tab> </x-tab>Partial
translation:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>1.<x-tab> </x-tab>Internet
Society - Bulgaria supports the list of Coalition for Bulgaria for the
elections to the European Parliament (EP). This was said at a press
conference by Veni Markovski, Chairman of the Board of the
organization. It is important to support politicians who share the
values of the Internet Society - Bulgaria to use the Internet without
restrictions and protection of consumer rights, explained Markovski.
He added that the Prime Minister and President of BSP Sergey Stanishev
and President of the State Agency for Information Technologies and
Communications Plamen Vachkov also enjoy the support of the Internet
Society in Bulgaria, which are members for years.<br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br>
<b>5. “24 Chasa” newspaper<br>
</b><br>
1. Original: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.24chasa.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=140197"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.24chasa.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=140197</u></font><u><br>
</u><br>
2. Partial translation:<br>
<br>
Internet Society - Bulgaria supports the list of Coalition for
Bulgaria for the elections for the European Parliament (EP), in which
Ivaylo Kalfin and Christian Vigenin are included, BTA reported.<br>
<br>
"It is important to support politicians who share the values of
the Internet Society - Bulgaria to use the Internet without
restrictions and protection of consumer rights, said President of the
organization Veni Markovski.<br>
<br>
He added that Sergey Stanishev and the President of the State Agency
for Information Technologies and Communications Plamen Vachkov also
enjoy the support of the Internet Society in Bulgaria, which are
members for years. According to Ivaylo Kalfin, Internet is free space,
where one must respect the laws, but not to impose restrictions.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>6. “Gradski” online newspaper<br>
</b><br>
1. Original: </a><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.gradski.bg/show.php?storyid=724067"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.gradski.bg/show.php?storyid=724067</u></font><u><br>
</u><br>
2. Partial translation:<br>
<br>
Internet Society - Bulgaria supports the list of Coalition for
Bulgaria for the elections to the European Parliament (EP), in which
Ivaylo Kalfin and Christian Vigenin participate. This was told by Veni
Markovski, Chairman of the Management Board of the organization.<br>
<br>
It is important to support politicians who share the values of the
Internet Society - Bulgaria to use the Internet without restrictions
and protection of consumer rights. Prime Minister and President of BSP
Sergey Stanishev and President of the State Agency for Information
Technologies and Communications Plamen Vachkov also enjoy the support
of the Internet Society in Bulgaria, which are members for years,
explained Markovski.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>7. “Trud” newspaper<br>
</b><br>
1. Original: </a><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=140199"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=140199</u></font><u><br>
</u><br>
2. Partial translation:<br>
<br>
Internet Society - Bulgaria stood behind BSP<br>
<br>
Internet Society - Bulgaria supports the list of Coalition for
Bulgaria for the elections to the European Parliament (EP), which
Ivaylo Kalfin and Christian VIGENIN, BTA reported.<br>
<br>
"It is important to support politicians who share the values of
the Internet Society - Bulgaria to use the Internet without
restrictions and protection of consumer rights, said President of the
organization veins Markovski.<br>
<br>
He added that Sergey Stanishev and President of the State Agency for
Information Technologies and Communications Plamen Vachkov also enjoy
the support of the Internet Society in Bulgaria, which are members for
years. According to Ivaylo Kalfin Internet is free space, which must
respect the laws, but not to impose restrictions.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>IV. Articles about actions of the current ruling coalition in
Bulgaria:<br>
</b><br>
<br>
1. </a><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://dnevnik.bg/bulgaria/2009/04/09/702570_parlamentut_othvurli_promenite_za_bezkontrolnoto/"><u><span></span>http://dnevnik.bg/bulgaria/2009/04/09/702570_parlamentut_othvurli_pr<span></span>omenite_za_bezkontrolnoto/<br>
</u><br>
1. Translation:<br>
<br>
“By 74 votes in favor, 78 against and 3 abstentions, the parliament
rejected amendments to the Law on electronic communications, providing
the Ministry of Interior affairs an uncontrolled access to data from
the Internet and telephone printouts. In the original vote on the
amendment there were 89 MPs for, 74 against and six abstained, so the
amendments would have passed on first reading. The president of the
internal committee, Mincho Spasov (NMS), however called and asked for
a re-vote to save "the visit of this law in the Constitutional
Court.” In the re-vote, after the cards of the absent MPs were
gathered, the texts were rejected.</a></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br>
This way the fourth consecutive attempt to provide special services to
obtain traffic data without the permission of the judge failed. In
November 2008, the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) repeal the
ordinance 40 as unconstitutional, which under the very vast wording
"for the operational-search activity" Interior Ministry
could take the information and with so-called passive access to
servers through a computer terminal, so as not to impose even send a
request to the mobile and internet operators.<br>
<br>
<br>
In February the parliament even rejected a request of special services
for a similar law that again would eliminate the requirement for the
information to be obtained with the authorization of a judge and an
indication of the grounds for the request. Then a check of “Dnevnik”
newspaper showed that that the text that include the law of the
Interior ministry is added in the proposal, but is unclear by whom,
although the Parliamentary commission of Transport did not vote for it
at all. After lengthy discussions MPs rejected this attempt to
smoothly track the data and decided to receive only the detection of
serious crimes and have a sanction of a judge.<br>
<br>
<br>
Already in the next few days interior ministry leadership reacted
strongly to the changes and announced that it would be prevented from
working on the hot track of crimes that do not keep serious as child
pornography for example. They insisted that the work of the special
services is seriously slowed by the need to obtain court
authorization. Politicians replied that in emergency, data can be
collected without the permission of a judge and then 24 hours later is
necessary to obtain such a sanction.<br>
<br>
<br>
However, only twenty days after the decision of the parliament, the
Interior Ministry has initiated changes in the law on electronic
communications and by members of the BSP, MRF and independent submit
them to parliament. They provide passive access to information through
the interface and again to cast their need for operational-search
activity. Changes caused serious disputes in parliament on the
Committee on Transport include consideration of changes in its agenda
an extraordinary and although its chairman Yordan Mirchev (NMS) and
the opposition left, the BSP and the MRF supported the text. The
Commission's decision was challenged, but the leadership allow him to
parliament for consideration in plenary.<br>
<br>
<br>
Subsequently, the parliamentary committees of internal ordern and
European integration rejected the amendments. As they have a negative
opinion of the parliamentary department responsible for the
coordination of legislation with the European Union. The Ombudsman
also objected.<br>
<br>
<br>
National Assembly Chairman Georgi Pirinski (BSP) a few days ago also
agreed that we must find a right balance between the rights of
citizens and the need not to hamper the work of the Ministry. He told
the opponents of the change that will help texts to be edited so that
no one could track people without control. According to him, and
according to the opposition and NMS, very suspect sought data records
for telephone and Internet traffic prints - 330 000 records per year
for 40 000 persons.”<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>V. Articles about ISOC Bulgaria members disagreement with the
statement by Mr. Markovski<br>
</b><br>
<b>1. “Trud” newspaper<br>
</b><br>
1. Original: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=142971"><font
color="#000080"><u>
http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=142971</u></font><u><br>
</u><br>
2. Partial translation:<br>
<br>
Members of the Internet Society - Bulgaria expressed outrage and
perplexity, because of the support for the list of the BSP for the
European elections, claimed by Veni Markovski - Member of the
Management Board of the organization. This was published in a press
report from the Blue coalition.<br>
<br>
This position is expressed in an open letter to the Board of Internet
Society - Bulgaria, signed by Ivan Kostov, Ekaterina Mihailova, Dimo
Gyaurov and Ivo Tsanev.<br>
<br>
The letter states that in the formulation of political support for the
BSP, ISOC Bulgaria and Veni Markovski did not sought the views of
members of the organization.<br>
<br>
"We consider inadmissible association called upon to protect the
interests of Internet users to associate itself with the party, known
for trying to restrict information rights and freedoms in Bulgaria,"
says the letter.</a></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br>
<br>
<b>2. “Dnevnik” newspaper<br>
</b><br>
1. Original: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.dnevnik.bg/izbori2009/2009/05/28/726610_predstaviteli_na_siniata_koaliciia_protestirat_sreshtu/"><u><span></span>http://www.dnevnik.bg/izbori2009/2009/05/28/726610_predstaviteli_na_<span></span>siniata_koaliciia_protestirat_sreshtu/<br>
</u><br>
2. Partial translation:<br>
<br>
Representatives of the "Blue coalition" protest against the
support of the Internet Society Bulgaria to the list of BSP<br>
<br>
Representatives of the Blue coalition protest against support for the
BSP list for European elections, claimed by the member of the
Governing Board of the Internet Society Veni Markovski.<br>
<br>
In an open letter to the Board of Internet Society – Bulgaria, Ivan
Kostov, Ekaterina Mihaylova (DSB), and Ivo Dimo Gyaurov Tsanev (UDF)
expressed "indignation and perplexity" of the actions of
Markovski. Categorically say that in the formulation of political
support for the BSP by Mr. Markovski has not sought the views of
members of the organization. It is inadmissible for an association
called upon to protect the interests of Internet users to associate
itself with the party, known for trying to limited information rights
and freedoms in Bulgaria.<br>
</a></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br>
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