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“La Bulgaria non è il Grande Fratello, il 2010 non è il 1984″.

11-Jan-10

Il 14 gennaio 2010 ci sarà una massiccia protesta intorno al palazzo del Parlamento di Sofia con lo slogan “La Bulgaria non è il Grande Fratello, il 2010 non è il 1984″.

La protesta unirà i cittadini, i partiti politici e molte organizzazioni nelle richieste contro l’ultima modifica della normativa sulla conservazione dei dati.

Il progetto di legge, che approvato il 22 dicembre 2009, contiene disposizioni che consentono al Ministero degli Interni e a molte altre agenzie di eseguire un monitoraggio continuo e incontrollato del comportamento, dei movimento e altre informazioni su ogni cittadino bulgaro, a prescindere se sia o meno colpevole di alcun crimine.
Questo presuppone l’inversione dell’ “innocenza fino a prova contraria”, concetto, che è un fondamento della Costituzione bulgara, nonché di una serie di documenti europei per la tutela dei diritti umani.

Ecco alcuni punti della proposta:

1. Il Ministero degli Interni avrà accesso attraverso un interfaccia diretta ai dati di tutte chiamate telefoniche e dispositivi mobili di ogni singolo cittadino, senza alcuna ragione giuridica.
L’Ordinanza della Corte è richiesta, ma il termine “interfaccia” che viene introdotto dà alle agenzie accesso diretto e non tracciabile al database generale nazionale per ognuno di noi, rendendo inutile il controllo esercitato dalla Corte e dal Parlamento.

2. Un altro strano requisito introdotto nonostante la Direttiva, è che i dati sul traffico possono essere conservati per tutti i reati che prevedono più di 2 anni di reclusione, ovvero quasi tutti i reati.
Ancora più strano è il fatto che la legge dice espressamente che questi dati relativi al traffico possono essere usati in relazione a reati informatici, di cui al codice penale, che presto includeranno l’imprecisato oggetto di pirateria informatica.
L’altra questione chiave, contro cui lottiamo, sono le troppo ampie e abusive estensione della Direttiva, che richiedono l’inserimento di materie analoghe nella legislazione bulgara, dando così una ragione giuridica al Ministero degli Interni per entrare nel database generale ogni volta che lo voglia.
Naturalmente, ci sono molti altri problemi coinvolti, perché il quadro legislativo sulla conservazione dei dati stesso viola i nostri diritti e non è una sorpresa che stia per essere abolito in molti paesi.
Noi, in Bulgaria, continueremo a lavorare per questo.

Ecco un esempio dell’interfaccia – http://bogomil.info/dr (Firefox / richiesto).

L’”Electronic Frontier Bulgara” è una delle organizzazioni, che ha avviato la protesta e che sta conducendo la lotta contro l’intercettazione di Internet e dei telefoni cellulari dal 2008.

Siamo una parte del nucleo della protesta che si terrà il 14 gennaio 2010 alle ore 11 di fronte al Parlamento Bulgaro.
La nostra richiesta unica e principale è un cambiamento nel progetto di legge sulle comunicazioni elettroniche, che garantisca i diritti umani di tutti gli utenti di Internet e dei servizi di telecomunicazione in Bulgaria, compresi i colloqui telefonici da cellulare.

Bogomil “Bogo” Shopov
EFB
bogomil@efb.bg

Bulgaria is not Big Brother, 2010 is not 1984

07-Jan-10

For immediate release

On January 14^th , 2010 there will be a massive protest around the Parliament building in Sofia under the slogan “Bulgaria is not Big Brother, 2010 is not 1984”.

The protest will unite citizens, political parties and many organizations around their demand against the latest change in the data retention legislation.

The draft Law, which was passed on December 22^nd , 2009, contains provisions, allowing the Ministry of Interior and many other agencies to execute continuous and uncontrolled monitoring of the behaviour, movement and other information on any Bulgarian citizen, regardless if he is or is not guilty of any crime. This preconditions the reversing of the “innocent until proven guilty” concept, which is a founding concept of the Bulgarian Constitution as well as of a number of European documents for human rights protection.

Here are some points of the proposal:

1. The Ministry of Interior will have access through a direct interface to the data for the calls and the mobile devices positioning of every single citizen without any legal reason. Court order is required, but the term “interface” is also introduced and this gives the agencies direct and untraceable access to the general national database for every one of us, rendering useless the control, exercised by the Court and the Parliament.

2. Another odd requirement, which is introduced in spite of the Directive, is that traffic data may be retained for crimes with more than 2 years imprisonment, which is practically almost any crime. Even odder is the fact that the Law specifically says that these traffic data can be used in relation to computer crimes, provided for in the Penal Code, which soon will include the vague subject of computer piracy.
The other key issue, which we fight against, is the too big and wrongful extension of the Directive, requiring the insertion of similar matter in the Bulgarian legislation, thus giving a legal reason to the Ministry of Interior to enter the general data base any time it wishes.

Of course, there are many other problems, because the legislative framework on data retention itself violates our rights and it is no surprise that it is being abolished in many countries. We, in Bulgaria, will continue to work for this.

Here is an example interfacehttp://bogomil.info/dr (/Firefox /required).

“Electronic Frontier Bulgaria” is one of the organizations, which initiated the protest and which is leading the fight against Internet and mobile phones tapping since 2008.

We are a part of the core of the protest, which is to be held on January 14^th , 2010 at 11 a.m. in front of the Bulgarian Parliament. Our main and sole demand is a change in the draft Electronic Communications Law, ensuring the human rights of all users of Internet and telecommunication services in Bulgaria, including mobile phone talks.

Bogomil “Bogo” Shopov

EFB

bogomil@efb.bg

+ 359 897 615128 (mobile)

Fight for Rights and Differences – What is Going on with the Internet Bugging – part 2

06-Jan-10

Note: You can read the first part here.

Yesterday the Bulgarian Parliament adopted at 1^st  reading the latest amendment in the Law on Electronic Communications, which once again introduces elements from the Data Retention Directive in the Bulgarian legislation.

Like in all the former proposals, the human rights are extremely violated.

Here are some points of the proposal:

1. The Ministry of Interior will have access through a direct interface to the data for the calls and the mobile devices positioning of every single citizen without any legal reason. Court order is required, but the term “interface” is also introduced and this gives the agencies direct and untraceable access to the general national database for every one of us, rendering useless the control, exercised by the Court and the Parliament.

2. Another odd requirement, which is introduced in spite of the Directive, is that traffic data may be retained for crimes with more than 2 years imprisonment, which is practically almost any crime. Even odder is the fact that the Law specifically says that these traffic data can be used in relation to computer crimes, provided for in the Penal Code, which soon will include the vague subject of computer piracy.

Of course, there are many other problems, because the legislative framework on data retention itself violates our rights and it is no surprise that it is being abolished in many countries. We, in Bulgaria, will continue to work for this.

Another interesting political fact is that currently the Bulgarian Parliament is a tool, used by a single political party to pass unclear policies and these policies are being passed, without consideration of the public discussions, the reasons against them or the citizens’ opinion.

You can read some news here.

Mozilla links from my new blog

06-Jan-10

Wordpress Mozilla community website template.

Finally my Wordpress template for a Mozilla community website is ready. It is based on Gandalf’s 0.1 theme, but is with a modern design and some things improved.

The me:// protocol and Firefox

In 2010 even the small kids know Internet is a very large space of bytes. I am browsing it every day like billions of people, but I am using only a little part of it as user and contributor.

My Internet is exactly the part I am using from the biggest Internet. What am I expecting from a new generation of browser? The answer is … to support me:// protocol.

Of course this protocol doesn’t exist and will never exist, but this protocol gives you an idea what I am expecting a browser to do.

Why Mozilla sucks? Fosdem 2010

I just send my proposal to Brian for FOSDEM 2010’s Mozilla room and I need some help. Be ready … please turn your sense of humour ON.

The topic is … Why Mozilla sucks?

Open Web and Bulgarian web awards winning ceremony

I am talking about digital rights, Open Web, Firefox and how I want to see our web in 1 year. I was awarded with a “special award for contribution to Bulgarian Web”

Celebrating 5 years of Firefox in Bulgaria

Finally I have time to write here some more about all the events that took place during Firefox’s 5^th anniversary.

My Mozilla related blog is online

09-Oct-09

After Mozilla Camp 2009 i decided to start a blog only for Mozilla related issues. Here comes the Mozgull :)

Do you remember Snail mail

10-Mar-09

Do you remember Snail mail. I will be more than happy if you send me a postcard with view of your town/country to my snail mail address:

Bogomil Shopov

78 Panayot Tipografov str.

5000 Veliko Tarnovo

Bulgaria

Europe

Reply To

I can’t make promise that I send you a postcard back, but I will try.

Pleeeeease !

Initiative Committee Citizen Action for Veliko Tarnovo is Against Making the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Doctor Honoris Causa of the Veliko Tarnovo University.

17-Feb-09

An Initiative Committee of over 1300 members stands against awarding the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with the Doctor Honoris Causa title by the Veliko Tarnovo University in Bulgaria.

The Committee’s arguments, stated in a special declaration and announced at a big press-conference, are that the University’s democratic foundations and authority are being undermined, as well as that the award decision has been taken in contradiction with the institution’s own academic rules and under external pressure.

The reasons for the awarding also have nothing to do with the nomination.
- The title is awarded for contribution to legal sciences and Mr. Putin has a PhD in mine geology.
- The title is awarded for contribution to peace-keeping – the Russian Prime Minister is the last person that can be praised for contributions to preserving that great value of our society.
- The title is awarded for contribution to the friendship between Bulgaria and Russia at the beginning of the 21st century. This reason makes the Initiative Committee remember the years of the Soviet empire and not the new, democratic 21st century.
- The link between Vladimir Putin and the Tarnovo Constitution, claimed by the University, is a purely political speculation. There can be no parallel between Alexander II’s reign, when the first Bulgarian Constitution was created, and Vladimir Putin’s personality and governance.

The Initiative Committee also recalls that there have been a number of assassinations of journalists and well-known public figures in Russia, that the country has lead many bloody wars with civilian casualties under the leadership of Mr. Putin as President and Prime Minister and Russia has anything else but democratic rule. The government is intermingled with oligarchy, there are still political prisoners, and the freedom of speech is practically non-existing.

The Initiative Committee believes that the title must be awarded for honourable reasons (honoris causa), and Vladimir Putin’s personality and contributions cannot be defined as such. A note of protest will be sent to the Russian Embassy in Sofia and to all the institutions, responsible for the current situation.


Fosdem, here we come

06-Feb-09

I am on my way to FOSDEM. Going to Sofia and then to Brussels.

Fedora for small and medium business

05-Feb-09

We are starting a new program for small and medium businesses in Bulgaria. We will promote and install custom installations  based on Fedora Gnu/Linux. We will educate business why and how to use Fedora for their business and we will make business specific clones using Revisor.

The program will start in couple of weeks.

Digital Rights meeting

05-Feb-09

If you are in Brussels during FOSDEM or live there or just visiting, let’s meet:

When: Sunday (February 8 th), 13:00
Where: Ferrer room at ULB (in front of it)

ULB Campus Solbosh
Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt, 50
1050 Bruxelles

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Avenue+Franklin+D.+Roosevelt,+50,+Brussels&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.435825,89.648437&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr

Please  forward this info to whom it may concern.