The main stages of the non-governmental organizations’ institutionalization as an institution of civil society in the Republic of Bulgaria

Abstract

The article considers the non-governmental organizations as one of the main institutions of civil society. The author created the periodization of their institutionalization in Bulgaria. It was done due to legal and regulatory approaches. The formation and the development of Bulgarian civil society can be divided into four periods. The paper analyzes the key features and the specifics of the third sector at all stages of its institutionalization.

Keywords

• ivil society
• non-governmental organizations
• the third sector
• social institutions
• institutionalization
• democratization
• transformation processes
• the Republic of Bulgaria