Institute for Regional and International Studies

Program areas

Completed projects

Black Sea Security and Development

Assessment of Civic Participation in Decision-Making in Moldova and Ukraine

The project aimed at evaluating the civic organizations' attitudes, needs and capacity with respect to civic participation in the decision making in Ukraine and Moldova and also at identifying specific competencies needed for successful civic mobilization and participation in the decision making. IRIS Advocacy Program team implemented study tours into Moldova and Ukraine from 16 to 27 June 2003.

A policy report was prepared, outlining the current problems and suggesting a set of recommendations for enhancing public influence and exercising control over the decision making in Ukraine and Moldova. The project was supported by Freedom House with funding provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Back »

The Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) is an independent, non-government think tank. IRIS was established on June 11, 1997 by leading Bulgarian public and political figures, NGO leaders and prominent Bulgarian scholars in international relations, Balkan studies, history, social and political science, anthropology and economics.

The Institute for Regional and International Studies initiates, develops and implements civic strategies for democratic politics on national, regional and international level. The Institute promotes the values of democracy, civil society, freedom and respect of law, assists the process of Bulgarian integration in NATO and the EU and provides public policy analyses on current domestic and international issues. IRIS represents a strategic combination of advocacy-oriented and education-oriented think tank.