In 2017, the AIP held the third round of competition for support of journalistic investigations. The call was meant for journalists from local and regional media only with the aim to provide support for their work. Five project proposals were selected by the jury out of a total of 22 submitted project proposals. Journalists had three months to complete their investigations and receive financial and legal support to complete their work.

The 2017 investigations of the journalists from local media encompassed the following topics:

• Connections between the companies contracted for the rehabilitation and renovation of housing buildings in Blagoevgrad and the deputy mayor and members of the Municipal Council – investigation by Marieta Dimitrova, published in Blagoevgrad News on May 17, 2017. As a result of the revelations, the deputy mayor filed his resignation and the Prosecutor’s Office started investigation;
• Alleged Illegal cutting of trees in the forests around Pazardzhik and the inefficiency of the control bodies with regard to the stealing of the green gold in the region – investigation by Todor Grozdev published in a series of 9 articles in Zname newspaper in June – July 2017;
• Discrepancy in the funding and efficiency of the local community centers (chitalishta), in the Pleven region in particular, and wrongdoings in the management of these centers – investigation by Ivanka Vateva, published in Posredniknews, Pleven on June 23, 2017;
• Wrongdoings in the distribution of municipal funds to sports clubs in the Municipality of Vidin – a video investigation in two parts by Kalin Ivanov –released on the regional Vidin Vest in August 2017;
• Reasons for the 18 years’ delay in the implementation of the Gorna Arda Hydro Power Plant Project, benefits and losses from the signed agreements and contracts, perspectives with regard to the project implementation – investigation by Bozhidara Angelova to be published in a series of 4 articles and 2 interviews in Nov Zhivot newspaper – Kardzhali in July 2017.

Investigations are published in the AIP specialized web site Access to Information and Journalistic Investigations: http://www.ati-journalists.net/bg/investigations/Razsledvania/205492/ .

In three rounds of competitions held in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the AIP has supported with a core legal help and also financially, due to the support of the ABF, 23 journalistic investigations on imminent topics of public interest.

18 journalists from national media, including correspondents, were supported within the first two rounds of the competition in 2015 and 2016, and of 5 journalists from local and regional media in 2017.

Investigations are related to the functioning of the control bodies, spending of public money, judicial system reform, state and municipal real estate sales and purchases, fuel business in the electricity market, investment trends in the construction of holiday complexes at the Southern Black Sea coast, etc.

The journalistic investigations were supported within the project Civil Center for Support of Transparency in Public Life supported by a grant from the America for Bulgaria Foundation.