FREEDOM OF INFORMATION IN FIVE YEARS
Support A1+!The RA law on “Freedom of Information” was passed exactly five years ago on September 23, 2003, yet today, many state structures don’t have the desire to work openly. In an interview with “A1+”, director of the Freedom of Information Center Shushan Doydoyan said that officials often refuse to give out information claiming that the government has not passed a resolution on the process of information access to date.
September 28 is International Freedom of Information Day and on this occasion the Center will hold the 6th awards-ceremony dedicated to freedom of information. The center has sent surveys to local government bodies for the selection of the most transparent and most closed government body and only a few have refused to respond to the survey.
“Today, we have serious problems with local government bodies, meanwhile this is the level of government which is in direct contact with citizens”, says Shushan Doydoyan and reminds officials that they will gain more out of transparency.
The law on freedom of information does not stand in the way of some officials to stay behind-the-scenes. “It is not profitable for them to work transparently because if they publicly announce their community budgets, people will read them and understand that the money spent from taxpayers’ money is spent for the personal interests of the senior community officials”, says Shushan Doydoyan. According to Shushan Doydoyan, the best way to punish those working behind-the-scenes is to fine them.
Let us remind that during the previous awards-ceremony the Yerevan city council was recognized as the structure with the best web-based access to information, yet many citizens and journalists complain that it is rather difficult to receive information from city council. In response to this observation, Shushan Doydoyan said that difficulties remain, but there is progress. According to the director of the Freedom of Information Center, the violation of the law on “Freedom of Information” is the basis of the infringement of human rights and Shushan Doydoyan calls on everyone to fight actively for the freedom of information.
