Exposing Corruption in Rural Bulgaria: Pro Veritas Brings Transparency to “Information Deserts”

^{Author: Dimitar Keranov}

In rural Bulgaria, the lack of independent regional media leaves local authorities unchecked, which allows abuses of power and mismanagement of public funds to go unnoticed. This fosters a feudal-type system where economic, media, and political power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals. The resulting dependency breeds electoral paternalism, nepotism, corruption, and a lack of transparency, leaving communities vulnerable and uninformed. 

The Nikola Kozlevo and Venets municipalities in the northeastern Shumen region illustrate this. With no local media and the little information available to the public often consisting of paid advertising for the local government, they can be described as “information deserts”. The communities of predominantly people of Turkish origin there face challenges that are under-reported by the national media and absent from the public agenda. Ignored and forgotten, these citizens lose hope and disengage from civic life.

The Pro Veritas Association (PVA), based in nearby Varna, recognized the urgency of addressing this neglect and took action. In 2023, it began monitoring decision-making meetings of the Nikola Kozlevo and Venets municipal councils, as well as investigating key areas such as municipal public procurement, real-estate transactions, and the use of EU and local funds. Supported by the Engaging Central Europe program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the United States Agency for International Development, PVA’s efforts aimed to expose governance practices in these rural communities, fostering greater transparency and accountability.

Overcoming Information Barriers

Within months of its launch, the Pro Veritas Association project produced reporting that reached thousands of readers in Nikola Kozlevo, Venets, and across Bulgaria. However, overcoming systemic “information barriers” was challenging. In Venets, which has been governed by the same party for over 25 years, the authorities withheld critical governance details, such as the salaries of village mayors, even from council members. This information was revealed only through PVA investigations. 

Such secrecy is often accompanied by different forms of intimidation to discourage demands for accountability. Citizens and councilors interviewed by PVА journalists insisted on anonymity, fearing retaliation. Journalist Diana Zhelyazkova faced aggression from a municipal security guard in Venets, an incident witnessed by public servants who remained silent. In Nikola Kozlevo, the mayor directly threatened a PVA reporter covering an election. All this underscores the vital role of investigative journalism in exposing governmental malpractice in Bulgaria.

Accountability Is Back

The Pro Veritas Association has become the region’s only investigative media outlet, driving change through its reporting. Key investigations revealed the misuse of public funds, such as an article on Izgrev’s community center that existed solely to pay the mayor’s wife salary (“How an empty village community center sinks over BGN 30,000 per year for the mayor’s wife’s salary”). Following a public outcry, the center and municipality initiated the first activities to benefit the community. 

PVA also exposed that the Venets municipal council was not holding the committee meetings required to pass its budget, which prompted the adoption of reforms. Further investigations uncovered corruption, including a monopoly on road repairs in Nikola Kozlevo, illegal activities by a municipal enterprise, and the excessive salary of the mayor of Venets. 

These efforts have reshaped the local media landscape, pushing authorities to act transparently while empowering residents to voice concerns, demand accountability, and engage in civic life. Most importantly, PVA has restored hope to the people of Nikola Kozlevo and Venets, proving that they have the right to know what their local government is doing and deserve governance that serves their best interests.