17 August 2010

Balkan Assist Association took part in the Third Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, from July 29 to August 4 in San Francisco, California. On behalf of the Association Dr. Atanas Slavov, a member of Balkan Assist, constitutionalist and member of the Board of the Institute of Direct Democracy, took part in the discussions and working groups.

Key organizers of the Forum were the longtime partners of Balkan Assist – the Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe and Citizens in Charge Foundation, represented by Bruno Kaufmann, Joe Mathews and Paul Jacobs, and the host was UC Hastings College of the Law. Global Forum was attended by about 300 representatives of think-tanks, civil society activists, academics, politicians and citizens who share the principles of direct democracy and citizen participation. Participants from 6 continents presented the current situation of direct democracy procedures in national and regional context. From the Bulgarian side Atanas Slavov presented the results achieved by Balkan Assist and objectives of the newly established Institute for Direct Democracy.

After the previous meetings in Aarau (Switzerland, 2008) and Seoul (South Korea, 2009), the third Global Forum was devoted to the constitutional dimensions of direct democracy (www.2010globalforum.com). The main topics concerned the possibilities for direct democracy revealing the real empowerment of citizens, extension and improvement of the necessary procedures of direct democracy, the reduction and elimination of high thresholds and quorums, the role of the funding process and judicial review for ensuring the rights of individuals and minorities in the organization of initiatives and referenda.

One of the specific initiatives of the Global Forum was the adoption of the Declaration of San Francisco dedicated to the role of direct democracy for the modern constitutional states. The Declaration stresses that "... “Modern Direct democracy is one important way to bring the people into representative government at all levels - local, state, national, and transnational. It is a process that works best in places where freedom and human rights are protected. To improve direct democracy, we must continue to learn from each other, bridging boundaries of nationality, ideology and party.”.

Significant contribution of the Declaration of San Francisco is the formulation of three common principles of direct democracy, which should be applied wherever initiatives and referenda are organized. These principles are transparency, open access and deliberation:
Transparency demands that citizens be informed of the organizers of initiatives and referendums about financial resources, seated behind them, and also be protected from coercion and sanctions in the exercise of their choice. Open access includes the ability to participate in the subscription for organizing the initiative and the results must depend on the guaranteed opportunity to participate in the election rather than the influence of money in the process or approval by the government. This principle implies greater use of electronic technologies in the process. Deliberation involves citizens as an active part of this process by ensuring pluralism of ideas and time to debate the proposals.

The concrete ideas and practical guidelines for the expansion of direct democracy mechanisms proposed at the Third Global Forum are particularly relevant to the situation in Bulgaria, where in the months ahead the National Assembly is about to deliberate over the first National Civil Initiative, organized by the Balkan Assist Association and partners.