Access to Information Law has Many Flaws

Vreme

12 January 2006

The representatives of the non-governmental sector strongly criticize the draft-Law on Access to Information, claiming that it lacks even the minimum of the internationally accepted standards. The main remark refers to the fact that the proposal to establish and independent body to supervise the implementation of the Law was completely deleted from the draft text.

The NGOs estimate that the final version of the Law is worse than the initial one and demanded that it returns for Government review, having in mind that submitting amendments to the current version is simply irrational.

�Two thirds of the version adopted last January were deleted, making this a completely new proposal. Furthermore, it renders invalid all foreign and domestic expertise on the draft-Law�, said Klime Babunski from �Pro Media�.

Babunski added that the Law didn�t offer protection from insider �whistleblowers� in the institutions. Also, the Law lacks the basic principles of access to public information.

�The Law doesn�t even contain obligation to make public the minutes and records of the meetings and decisions adopted by the bodies of the state�, emphasized Babunski.

The NGO also complained about the different fees that need to be paid for inquiries presented by domestic and foreign entities, about the lack of proper test of the damages that may be caused by the restriction of sought information, as well as the new competences of the Ministry of Justice, which will be charged with supervision of the implementation.

The remarks were presented in front of the Parliamentary Committee on Politica System. The session of the Committee that was interrupted yesterday, is scheduled to continue tomorrow (Friday, January 13).