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Veni Markovski

I hope to contribute with my knowledge and contacts, as well as to bring my European perspective on a number of issues, related to the CPSR activities.

I've been involved in a number of social-related issues in ISOC - Bulgara. During my work with Privacy International, I managed to bring the "Big Brother Awards":http://www.bg.bigbrotherawards.org/, to Bulgaria, and to bring awareness to issues, which are becoming important not only in Bulgaria, but also worldwide - police control, prevention of free access to Internet and information. Our work on the BBA was done with Access to information program, GIPI and IT Development Association.

"ISOC-Bulgaria":http://www.isoc.bg/ was founded by me in 1995, and now has 280 members, among them the ex-president and the current president of the country, as well as some of the top Internet-gurus, well known for promoting open and free access to Internet. ISOC-Bulgaria sued the "Bulgarian government in 1999":http://www.isoc.bg/kpd/ against the implemented licenses for ISPs, and we managed to get rid of this restriction, which was aimed at the free web-content. We also made it possible in March 2001 to move VoIP outside of the monopoly of the telecom.

I am also head of the Bulgarian President's IT council (www.president.bg/sit). We have issued a report promoting Open Source software usage. I was invited to help in preparation of the draft law of Open Source Software usage in the State Administration. Larry Lessig has been of help for our work by providing us with contacts with other people interested in the area.

Until April 2002 I was the CEO of - bol.bg, which was the second ISP in history of Bulgaria. We were founded in 1993, and currently I am only a shareholder. I have experience in that area, and in fact I was trained to do it in 1995 during a 4 week visit to the US, "copying" several ISPs in different US-states. It was an interesting experience, which helped me and my company to do our job in the best for the users way. That's also when we started to realise the meaning of the words "customer care", which by that time to a certain extent did not exist in Bulgarian:)

Since Sept. 11, 2001, governments worldwide tend to control information and want to police all Internet traffic. It's exactly that time when organizations like CPSR should take active position in protecting basic human rights on the Internet, and bring social awareness of the importance of freedom of the Internet.

As CPSR looks now more North America oriented, I also hope to make sure that not only bring geographical diversity, but different points of view, which are vital for the core existence of an organization that is being working for 20 years.

I've been working on a number of issues, mainly INET and ICANN staff with Hans Klein and with Robert Guerra during the CFP and the WSIS.org. I am co-chairing with Hans the Europe/North American family at the Civil Society Bureau to the WSIS. "http://www.veni.com":http://www.veni.com

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Last modified November 11, 2004 12:52 AM
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