A survey on the implementation of the Right of Access to Information Act shows that over 50 per cent of requests for information addressed to government institutions were not responded to in accordance with procedure. The results of the survey, conducted by the non-governmental organisation GONG from May to September this year on a sample of 78 institutions, were presented in Zagreb on Monday at a conference entitled “We Have the Right to Know”.
ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) – A survey on the implementation of the Right of Access to Information Act shows that over 50 per cent of requests for information addressed to government institutions were not responded to in accordance with procedure.
The results of the survey, conducted by the non-governmental organisation GONG from May to September this year on a sample of 78 institutions, were presented in Zagreb on Monday at a conference entitled “We Have the Right to Know”.
The conference was organised by the Central State Administration Office, GONG, Transparency International Croatia (TIH) and the Croatian Federation of Journalists (HND).
The survey revealed that of 168 requests for information filed, 83 — or 49.40 per cent — received a response in accordance with the law, while 85 — or 50.59 per cent — were not answered in a timely fashion or received no response at all.
Surveys conducted in 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 put the number of requests answered at over 50 per cent.
The latest survey showed that it was relatively easy to get answers to questions which were not of a sensitive nature and which did not concern the financial operation of state institutions, and that institutions were reluctant to provide documents.
It also showed that the procedure of obtaining complex or sensitive information remained complicated, lengthy and costly, and that the systematic training of staff was necessary.
Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said in her opening remarks that the right to information was one of the fundamental human rights and that it was necessary to improve communication.
On the subject of the War Veterans’ Fund, Kosor said that the Register of War Veterans could not be published without their permission, while in a comment on closed-door government sessions, Kosor said that most countries had the same practice.
GONG president Suzana Jasic agreed that closed government sessions were specific to many governments, but that the problem was that reports from closed sessions of the Croatian government were incomplete and generalised.
Leaders of GONG, TIH and HND called for the amendment of the existing law.
(Hina) vm