Kazva.bg - digitalization for democracy
The Institute of Public Administration presents Stara Zagora's model for civic participation through technology.
Bulgaria's Institute of Public Administration has highlighted kazva.bg as a case study in how digitalization can strengthen democratic participation rather than merely modernize bureaucracy. The focal point is Stara Zagora - the first Bulgarian municipality to deploy the platform at a scale covering its entire territory.
The implementation is substantial: over 800 QR codes placed across buses, parks, kindergartens, administrative buildings, and dozens of other public spaces. Any resident can scan a code and leave an anonymous rating on a 1-to-10 scale, optionally accompanied by a written suggestion. No app download, no registration, no personal data - the barrier to participation is essentially zero.
What distinguishes this initiative from typical e-governance projects is the feedback loop it creates. Data collected through the platform has led to concrete outcomes: repaired playgrounds, optimized bus schedules, and operational corrections in kindergartens. These are not theoretical benefits - they are measurable improvements driven by citizen input and acted upon by municipal staff within weeks.
The approach earned European recognition when Stara Zagora was selected as a finalist in the Innovation in Politics Awards 2025, placing in the Top 9 out of more than 300 projects from across the continent. The selection put a mid-sized Bulgarian city alongside initiatives from Vienna, Barcelona, and Helsinki - a signal that effective civic engagement tools are not the exclusive domain of well-funded Western European capitals.
For public administration more broadly, the lesson is clear: when technology reduces the cost of participation to a single phone scan, civic engagement stops being the privilege of the vocal few and becomes accessible to everyone. The leaders behind the project - Municipal Secretary Nikolay Dikov and PR Head Veni Petrova - demonstrate that institutional will, paired with the right instrument, can fundamentally change the conversation between citizens and government.