NGO for better access to information

Belgrade – Group of non-governmental organizations started initiative for amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information.

By suggested amendments is planned, among other things, introducing protection for “whistle blowers”– persons which point out to irregularities and corruption in their organizations and institutions, punishing of responsible persons instead of authorized, as well as specifying certain regulations which have been randomly interpreted in the past three years.

Initiative for amendments to the Law were brought by associations: Peoples' Parliament from Leskovac, Center for Advanced Legal Studies from Belgrade, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Sretenje from Požega, Center Resource from Negotin and Citizens' Council of Kraljevo Municipality, with support of Transparency Serbia, Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights, Belgrade Center for Human Rights.

Besides amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information, Model of the Law on Data Classification is made which should regulate the area of classifying and use of secret information. Serbia is one of the last states in Europe that doesn't have system Law in that area.

Non-governmental organizations will, from November 26 th , collect citizens' signatures in order to secure that this two laws, as citizens' initiatives, would enter Parliamentary procedure.

One of the innovations suggested is clear stating that, in the cases when regulations of other laws are in contradiction with Law on Free Access to Information, always implement Law on Free Access to Information.

Example of that kind has recently appeared when by contract on concession, Law on Free Access to Information was annulled, but also last year, when Preposition of the Law on Foreign Investments was in parliamentary procedure.

In the meantime Law has been dismissed from parliamentary procedure, but not because of the pressure of public or because ruling parties realized that secrecy of information makes place for corruption, but because of the fact that by the end of 2006 new constitution was adopted and new elections were called.

Government suggested in that text that foreign investments should be excluded from system of access to information. Preposition of the Law on Foreign Investments, in the provision which regulates "efficient communication" of investors and "integral desk", service for permit providing, prescribes that information from that communication can not be revealed without approval of investor.

In additional paragraph explicitly is prescribed, "Information on investment aren't available to public, in the sense of law which regulates free access to information of public importance, without approval of foreign investor".

Complete text is available on portal Argus .