The 1990s marked the transition of corruption from a predominately national and regional concern to a truly global issue. In the context of the global economy, it not only diminishes the efficiency of government but also becomes a major impediment for international development.
The Coalition 2000 process was started in March 1997 as a result of the initiative of the Center for the Study of Democracy and a number of other Bulgarian NGOs with the support of the United States Agency for International Development, and was officially launched on April 7, 1998. Among the multitude of reasons for the preoccupation with corruption and for launching Coalition 2000 the more important are:

• The global trend towards accountable and transparent government as a precondition for development. The purpose of this anti-corruption drive is not simply to reduce malfeasance and graft, but to enhance the efficiency and transparency of government, individual freedoms and human rights;
• The problem of corruption is especially acute in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) because of the enormous task of their rapid transition from closed societies with total state control over the economy to open political democracies and market economies. Further, corruption has produced a generally volatile environment for reforms and caused government instability, thus undermining long term policies and development;
• The problem of corruption in Bulgaria has been exacerbated by short-sighted policies and a lack of vision on the part of successive previous governments. The period 1997-1998 has marked significant change in this respect. In March 1998, in a briefing on Bulgaria and the enlargement of the European Union, the European Parliament pointed out: "The fight against organized crime has been a major priority for the government, since the launch in April 1997 of an intensive anti-crime program Both the present government and the previous caretaker administration have demonstrated a clear will to tackle corruption both in the public sector and in society at large.";
• As in other countries, the increasing role of non-governmental organizations in the fight against corruption is being acknowledged by both governments and the international community. The Coalition 2000 initiative is a pioneering and comprehensive effort to harness the capacity of the civil society to establish a public-private coalition against corruption.
  

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The mission of Coalition 2000 is to enhance the awareness, adoption and practical implementation of democratic values such as transparency, trust, and integrity.

This is achieved through the development of an Anti-Corruption Action Plan for Bulgaria. Designed to complement each other, the several kinds of activities include:

1. Promote public awareness of corruption and establish mechanisms to support anti-corruption efforts through public education, advocacy and dissemination of information.

2. Assist democratic institution building, promotion of democratic values, and elaboration of an anti-corruption Action Plan by organizing panels of experts and legislators to develop amendments to the institutional arrangements and regulatory framework that help deter corruption, particularly among public officials.

3. Serve as a "watchdog" of the reform process, focusing attention on practical implementation of transparent and clear rules of the game, integrity, and democratic control

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The concept for structuring the activities of Coalition 2000 rests upon several ideas and definitions which identify the focus of the process and the main target groups of the activities. Corruption, in the context of the initiative, will be defined as the abuse of public power for private gain. Thus, the principal agents of corrupt practices to be considered are the various categories of public administration officials.

The factors and circumstances which generate corrupt practices in Bulgaria make it necessary that anti-corruption efforts address several aspects of the problem: the legislative framework, the administrative set-up, the existing perceptions and attitudes (public awareness), and the existing behavior patterns. In this respect the anti-corruption effort of Coalition 2000 is parallel to the social marketing model used in anti-corruption campaigns developed by WB experts. The model includes three basic targets of an anti-corruption campaign which address the principal factors of corruption: monopoly (which in the case of Bulgaria is the predominance of the state in the economy and other sectors of social life), discretionary power (i.e., the lack of clear administrative rules and regulations) and accountability (i.e., poor functioning of watchdog agencies or a lack of such agencies).

The desired impact (curbing corruption) could be produced following a three stage process, including: cognitive change (this involves problem diagnostics and formulation of a research-based impact strategy); inducing affect (this is the process of converting messages into emotional/moral commitments); behavioral change (this involves inducing people to change some aspects of their actual behavior and transforming moral disapproval into an action agenda of the public).

In view of the targeted corruption factors, Ackerman classifies anti-corruption strategies into four main categories: those that lower the benefits under control of officials; those that reduce the discretionary power of officials; those that increase the costs of bribery; those that limit the bargaining power of officials.

With respect to the above categorization, the effort of Coalition 2000 is multifaceted. In terms of content its social marketing impact is based upon the following main elements:

Creating a trustworthy anti-corruption agency through consensus and coalition building. In addition to being the result of a partnership effort, it will enable a favorable environment for the establishment of future coalitions. The initiative aims to promote the embedding of democratic values in the legal and institutional framework of reforms and to integrate democratic values in the policy design and implementation process. The main component of consensus building is the Policy Forum: a policy design tool which starts at expert level with the identification of problems, and culminates in a public forum which involves representatives of all relevant institutions and organizations and which endorses a consensus policy document (Anti-Corruption Action Plan).

Obtaining relevant knowledge through a series of corruption assessment panels. The principal objective of the assessment is to analyze the scope, intensity, types, and sources of corrupt behavior in the public sector. The methodology includes both quantitative and qualitative surveys. Indicators used for corruption assessment will at later stages be used to monitor institutional progress and to produce a Corruption Assessment Index.

Defining the impact objectives: development of an Action Plan (AP). Based on research findings and best practice documentation, an AP is designed. It incorporates different mechanisms enhancing trust and transparency in different sectors of public life. Impact in this respect is maximized by involving policy-makers and representatives of the business community and trade unions in the drafting process. Of particular importance is the fact that the AP is a consensus document approved by the principal actors in Bulgarian society; furthermore, based on the consensus reached, the implementation of the AP will largely be a result of the joint effort of all parties involved in the drafting process.

Bringing about affective and behavioral change through dissemination and advocacy. The effective implementation of the AP will be supported through different mechanisms:

a) building awareness of corruption and its various forms in Bulgarian society by using different forms of public education, public discussions and dissemination of the research findings and policy recommendations;

b) transforming public awareness into an advocacy role, keeping the issue of corruption at the forefront;

c) pressing government to implement anti-corruption strategy and reforms.

Reinforcing the cognitive component and tracking progress through process monitoring (Corruption Monitoring System). The basic function of process monitoring is to assess the effectiveness of policy change efforts in all major areas envisioned in the AP and the functioning of the established anti-corruption institutions. The monitoring will serve also as a "watchdog" tool of the public policy process and as a way to encourage public discussions.

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