News

26 September 2025

"When we speak, act, and plan, let institutions, citizens, and non-governmental organizations always be allies, never enemies." With this message, Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva opened the first panel, "The Voice of Citizens—Silence or Institutional Deafness?" at the Democratic Mosaic Festival, which for the third consecutive year brings together over 70 civic organizations in Sofia.

The festival, organized by the Civil Participation Forum, the National Youth Forum, and the Bulgarian Center for Non-Profit Law, includes 20 thematic workshops—ranging from youth policies and social activities to healthcare, education, volunteering, and environmental protection.

At the opening of the event on Slaveykov Square, Delcheva emphasized that her presence was a natural continuation of her commitment to civil society organizations. "I am here because I am a member of the Bulgarian Association of Women Entrepreneurs and I am committed to the cause of women entrepreneurs."

"Even as an ombudsman candidate, I sought partnership with you. Today, we are already actively working on a number of issues, and I believe that we will strengthen our interaction with young people. The topics of the forum are impressive, and I am convinced that together we can build a more democratic society with the active participation of young people," said the public defender