Improvement and Facilitation of the Access to Information (MK0094)

Status quo or problem addressed by the commitment: Limited access to public information and the information holders’ silence due to their failure to address applications for free access to public information within the stipulated deadline of 30, that is 40 days, is the major reason for non-implementation of the Law on Free Access to Public Information, and citizens are insufficiently informed about their guaranteed right to access to public information. Public information holders, as main factors in the commitments implementation, still are not sufficiently transparent in their operation, and do not publish available information on their websites, document in their possession are not completely available for the citizens and public information applicants. Civil sector directs its activities toward improvement of the Law on Free Access to Public Information implementation, by analysis and pro-active publication of public information on the holders’ websites, developing and conducting campaigns and trainings for citizens, promoting the right to free access to public information. Main objective: Affirmation and improvement of the access to public information through a cooperation and joint promotion of the right to access to information, supported by the government and civil sectors. Brief description of commitment: Improvement of the access to information through pro-active public information publishing, taking measures for increased access to public information, information for the citizens, as well as improvement of the Law on Free Access to Public Information are the key factors in the Law implementation and the constitutionally guaranteed right (Article 16 of the Constitution of the RM). OPG challenge addressed by the commitment: Better implementation of the Law on Free Access to Public Information with active involvement of the information holders and citizens. Reference to the global objectives of sustainable development: Reference to the Objective 16. “Peace, justice and strong institutions” Target 16.10: Ensuring access to information and protection of the fundamental freedoms, in agreement with the national legislative and international agreements. Measures of this commitment contribute for improving access, use and trends following in respect of public information and data. Relevance: Good cooperation practice between the public information holders and the civil sector is the key for better government and important factor for transparent work and implementation of the right to free access to public information. Affirmation and improvement of the established practices and procedures for policy creating in respect of the access to public information, supported by the information holders and the civil sector, are the basis for advancement of transparency and responsibility of the Commission for protection of the free access to public information. Ambition: Cooperation with the information holders and civil sector has a great contribution to better implementation of the Law, transparency, openness and accountability of the institutions and their functioning, building mutual confidence, and development of quality democracy. These measures are expected to improve the Law implementation in a two-year period, increase the number of citizens that have exercised the right to access to public information and number of institutions that have implemented the Law.

For Commitment details, please see the IRM reports: Macedonia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018 and Macedonia End-of-Term Report 2016-2018