"Balkan Assist" is a Bulgarian non-for-profit association established in 2000 uniting individuals and organizations working for the development of the civil society. A part of the members are direct participants in the Program for Cooperation with the municipalities in Central Stara planina which the Swiss government has been implementing since 1992.

The long-lasting efforts of Balkan Assist Association for more direct democracy led up to the adoption of the Law on Direct Citizen Participation in State Power and Local Self-government (May, 2009) and to the successful realization of the first of its kind in Bulgaria National Citizens Initiative, provided for in the newly adopted above mentioned law.

The INSTITUTE FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan think-tank set up for the promotion of direct democracy ideas, principles and procedures in the national and regional context. The Institute operates under the legal form of a foundation performing its activities in public benefit.

The Board of Trustees and the Managing Board of the Foundation is uniting Bulgarian and international experts - lawyers, sociologists, political scientists and journalists that are constantly contributing to the civil society development

Тhe Institute is founded by Balkan Assist Association in June 2001.

We are members of Democracy International, the European network of movements for direct democracy.

Direct_Democracy organisations present on Participedia