Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Draft (GE0020)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Georgia, Second Action Plan, 2014-16
Action Plan Cycle: 2014
Status:
Institutions
Lead Institution: Ministry of Justice of Georgia; Anti-Corruption Council of Georgia
Support Institution(s): Parliament of Georgia, Open Society Foundation – Georgia, Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI).
Policy Areas
Access to Information, Legislation, Public Participation, Right to InformationIRM Review
IRM Report: Georgia End-of-Term Report 2014-2016, Georgia IRM Progress Report 2014-2015
Early Results: Did Not Change
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Yes
Ambition (see definition): Low
Implementation i
Description
Freedom of Information legislation is one of the key tools for transparent and accountable governments. In this regard, it is essential for the legislation to provide high standards of openness and accountability, while its implementation in practice should not lead to unreasonable spending of public resources and accordingly tax payers’ money.
Therefore, refinement of the laws on freedom of information and ensuring its compliance with international standards is one of the objectives of the Georgian government.
Currently, the norms regulating access to public information are scattered in several laws, as well as significant difficulties are encountered in practical implementation of legislation. Taking into consideration practical challenges, elaboration of special law aims to eradicate legislative gaps and consolidate existing legal provisions in a separate act, which in turn will improve the practice of access to information and support the government, as well as civil society and wide community to establish open and accountable, rational and optimized civil service. The special act will emphasize openness policy of the government and will ease the work of the professionals involved in the area.
Ministry of Justice of Georgia will coordinate elaboration of freedom of information law in close cooperation with civil society. In order to ensure broad consultation process and wide involvement of stakeholders a special working group will be created. Based on consultations and international expertise the special working group will elaborate the new provisions of freedom of information in compliance with international standards. The first draft will be completed in spring, 2015.