Participants from 25 civil organisations from Sofia, Burgas, Varna, Pleven, Lovetch, Targovishte and Kalofer took part in the meeting. They represented organisations active in cultural, environmental and social fields working with elderly people, children and families, people with disabilities, volunteers etc. 

The participants shared their experience in taking part in the decision making process on a local and national level. They outlined the main difficulties for civil dialog in Bulgaria related with the necessity for mechanisms for participation; motivation for citizens to participate actively, access to relevant information; feedback from decision makers; administrative regulation for participation of civil organisations in consultation and decision making process on a local and national level. 

Krasimira Kamenova, director of Balkan Assist Association, presented the experience of then organisation by outlining the practices and the approaches that might be used by citizens and NGO for civil participation on a local and national level. 

Luben Panov from Bulgaria Centre for Non Profit Law told about the efforts of a group of civil organisations united in a informal Forum Civil Participation for the creation of a legal frame for civil participation in Bulgaria. 

Other themes discussed during the meeting included main benefits for civil organisations and the society of the public participation of NGOs in the processes of consultations and discussions on policies and practical application of various forms of public participation / civil dialog.

The working meeting was organised with the support of the Progress Programme of the European Commission and FairPlay International.