The Anti-Corruption Fund is beginning a new three-year project of investigating corruption

The Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF) is embarking on a new project for anti-corruption investigations titled “Sustainability of Anti-Corruption Efforts by Increasing the Public Impact of Investigations and Community Engagement.”
The project will run for three years, from 2023 to 2026, with support from the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
“With this new project, ACF aims to build on its efforts from 2020 to 2023. The organization published some of its most significant investigations during this period, such as The Eight Dwarfs and The List of Quick Control. Together, these two series reached over 6 million viewers, were featured in all major media outlets in the country and prompted a significant response from the public and institutions. These investigations led to hearings at the Supreme Judicial Council and prompted investigations by the Prosecutor’s Office to verify the facts about the existence of networks of undue influence in the judiciary as presented by ACF,” stated Boyko Stankushev, director of the Anti-Corruption Fund. The Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF) is embarking on a new project for anti-corruption investigations titled “Sustainability of Anti-Corruption Efforts by Increasing the Public Impact of Investigations and Community Engagement.”
The project will run for three years, from 2023 to 2026, with support from the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
“With this new project, ACF aims to build on its efforts from 2020 to 2023. The organization published some of its most significant investigations during this period, such as The Eight Dwarfs and The List of Quick Control. Together, these two series reached over 6 million viewers, were featured in all major media outlets in the country, and prompted a significant response from the public and institutions. These investigations led to hearings at the Supreme Judicial Council and prompted investigations by the Prosecutor’s Office to verify the facts about the existence of networks of undue influence in the judiciary as presented by ACF,” stated Boyko Stankushev, director of the Anti-Corruption Fund.
In the upcoming project period, ACF will concentrate on the following:
– Conducting thorough investigations and legal analyses of specific cases of corruption and systemic issues related to establishing the rule of law in the country.
– Sending anti-corruption alerts to competent institutions to prompt further action and promote institutional accountability.
– Creating video and media content to inform the general public and attract major media outlets’ attention to increase public intolerance of corruption and mismanagement, thereby enhancing public pressure on key anti-corruption institutions to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of their activities.
– Producing concise analytical texts on corruption cases and anti-corruption policies, outlining key issues within a broader institutional context and suggesting potential solutions.
– Supporting independent journalistic investigations and bolstering the Bulgarian investigative journalists’ community.
The primary focus in the next period will be on investigating money laundering, a critical area in terms of corruption. The objective is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of Bulgarian law enforcement authorities in combating corruption in this area. This emphasis underscores the urgency of addressing this issue.
ACF will continue its support for regional journalism and civil society in their efforts against corruption cases, as well as assist young journalists by providing resources and knowledge related to investigative journalism.
ACF will carry out the project until August 2026, with financial backing from the “America for Bulgaria” Foundation, amounting to BGN 2,123,057.
The America for Bulgaria Foundation is an independent, non-governmental, and non-political American charitable foundation that collaborates with Bulgarian organizations to strengthen the private sector and democratic institutions in the country. The foundation is the result of the success of the Bulgarian-American Investment Fund (BAIF), established in 1991 by the US Congress with the support of the US Agency for International Development. For more information, visit www.us4bg.org.