Update April 2000: Bulgaria

Major changes: The Committee of Posts and Telecommunications (CPT) was integrated in the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

A new Ministry of Transport and Communications was created by decision of the National Assembly (The Parliament) of 21 December 1999. The former Committee of Posts and Telecommunications became a part of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

An amendment of the Decree No.40/02.1998 of the Council of Ministers, for the establishment of the Co-ordination Council on Information Society at the Council of Ministers is forthcoming. The Council chairperson and members will be replaced according to the changes verified in the Council of Ministers.

New entrants:

A. Focal points and organisations for Bulgaria

The Central Laboratory for Parallel Processing of Information is implementing the IDEALIST-EAST project in Bulgaria.

FEMIRC – Bulgaria is part of a Europe-wide network of 53 Innovation Relay Centres (IRC) created in the EU Member States and 10 Fellow Members in the candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The main goal of the IRC Network is to promote the spirit of innovation across Europe, and to improve the competitiveness of European industry through innovation. FEMIRC – Bulgaria is hosted and co-ordinated by the Applied Research and Communications Fund, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Bulgarian Industrial Association, and the Agency for Economic Analysis and Forecasting.

B. Private companies and non-governmental organisations

The following private companies and non-governmental organisations were the main organisers of the Internet Fiesta 2000 in Bulgaria:

Internet Society – Bulgaria is established in 1995 to promote Internet in Bulgaria and to support free information exchange all over the world.

Global One Communications and Information Services Ltd. (GOCIS) is a joint venture of Global One Communications Ltd. and Bulgarian Telecommunication Company Ltd. established in 1993. GOCIS is a licensed telecommunications operator, data services provider and Internet service provider. GOCIS provides: comprehensive product suite of custom-engineered, managed data and Internet solutions, end-to-end managed services and customised billing options.

BULNET is one of the biggest Internet service providers in Bulgaria. The business of BULNET is focused on Internet, fax, telex, e-mail, and low-cost connectivity solutions as well as network solutions, open system networks, client-server communications solutions, system administration, development

of information systems, database applications and software design, consultancy on communication and information solutions, Intranet development.

BOL.BG Ltd. was established in 1993. BOL.BG Ltd. is an e-mail and full Internet access, dial-up and leased line access provider. Advertising on the Internet, web page design & hosting, consultancy on communication and information solutions are services also provided by this company.

The Radio Telecommunications Company - RTC Mobikom was founded in December 1992 in Sofia. It is a joint venture of Cable & Wireless, the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company and Radio Electronic Systems. RTC Mobikom offers wide-service portfolio. The company has offices and direct sales outlets in Sofia and five other major cities, as well as a countrywide dealer network. Mobikom provides cellular, paging, value added, wireless local loop and Internet services.

TEA Ltd. is a private company established in 1995. Its activities include ISP, import and sale of ICT equipment and building and supporting information databases. TEA Ltd. is authorised by the Bulgarian Information Industry Association (BIIA) to perform annually all activities connected with the organisation of the International Forum on Information Society that includes a conference and an exhibition.

Key persons and related contacts in the above organisations are given in the database.