Effective implementation of the Law on Free Access to Information is crucial for the work of the non-governmental sector, therefore it is necessary to have good knowledge within the sector about all aspects of this process to use the legal provisions, as concluded after a two-day training organized by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) on 23 and 24 July in Podgorica for 16 representatives of civil society organizations.
The aim of the training was to strengthen the participants’ capacity in application the Free Access to Information Law and to raise awareness about the importance of transparency in the work of state authorities. Within this framework, participants had the opportunity to get acquainted in detail with the legal framework regulating free access to information, both internationally and at the level of Montenegro, and their rights to access information held by public authorities. They were also introduced to the practical aspects of applying the law, including writing requests for free access to information and appeals to the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information (AZLP). Additionally, the focus was on the abuse of the right to free access to information.
Mirsada Suljević, Controller in the Department for Free Access to Information at AZLP and one of the trainers in this programme, emphasized the importance of the Free Access to Information Law as one of the key tools for citizens in the fight against illegal actions and failures in the work of public authorities. “This Law enables citizens to gain insight into the work of public authorities, which should lead to increased accountability of these bodies to the public”, Suljević stated, adding that AZLP, within its competencies, continuously works on improving the transparency and accountability of public authorities.
Suljević explained that AZLP establishes the factual situation when an appeal is filed and that public authorities must be proactive in publishing information on their websites. “Proactivity in publishing information reduces the need for submitting new requests and unnecessary inquiries, and the goal is for citizens to have access to all relevant information at all times without the need for additional procedures”, Suljević emphasized.
Damir Suljević, programme associate at CCE, was also one of the trainers.
“I applied for this training to learn how to prepare a high-quality request for free access to information and an appeal to AZLP. A large number of topics were covered, but I would particularly highlight the part related to the ways in which access to information is achieved. The trainers were concise and conveyed a lot of important information to us, which makes this program very useful, and I believe I can apply the acquired knowledge in practice”, says Miljan Mihailović, a master’s student in Humanistic Studies and Vice president of MAPSS.
“The most interesting part for me was the one concerning how to submit a request to institutions. The training was very useful and inspiring, and through practical exercises, I gained skills in analyzing and writing requests. The trainers professionally brought the topic closer to us and clarified doubts“, shares her impressions Anastasija Palević from the NGO Juventas.
The training is part of the project “Transparent Authorities – Informed Citizens“, which CCE is implementing with the financial support of the Ministry of Public Administration.
Itana Gogić, project assistant