Access to Information in South East Europe

The countries of South East Europe enjoy very high standards when it comes to the legislation regulating access to public information and transparency. But the reality on the ground is different and journalists across the region denounce serious difficulties in obtaining – both from private organizations and public institutions – the access to information they are entitled by the law.

A recently published dossier by Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa gathers the articles published by the network of its media partners in the ECPMF project, assessing the specific situation in the countries involved in the project.

Access to public information in Erdoğan’s Turkey

Gülseren Adaklı | 10/3/2017

A detailed and unique analysis of the right to access information in Turkey, where not only this right is not being upheld, but also the freedom of expression is heavily violated

Accessing information in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo | Ljupko Mišeljić | 9/3/2017

All too often, institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina ignore requests for access to information, give only partial answers, or do not reply within the statutory deadline

Romania and access to information: a law that works

Stela Giurgeanu | 6/3/2017

In Romania, the law on access to information is a substantially effective tool in support of quality journalism

Montenegro, the silence of the public administration

Podgorica | Ivan Čađenović | 2/3/2017

Montenegro adopted a law on free access to public information 7 years ago, but in many cases the information required is withheld, and no one is sanctioned

Serbia: how the authorities block access to information

Simon Lenormand | 23/2/2017

Serbia has one of the best laws in the world to guarantee public access to information. The problem is, the state does not respect its own laws. And the situation may get worse in the future

Croatia: above public opinion

Zagreb | Toni Gabrić | 16/2/2017

In Croatia, journalists and citizens have a hard time accessing information which should be of public domain

Serbia: the hard fight for information

Maja Poznatov | 13/2/2017

Even though there is a good institutional and legislative framework defending the right to access information of public interest, some crucial issues are still unresolved

Bulgaria: every third institution is not transparent

Tsvetelina Yordanova | 9/2/2017

According to a study conducted by a local Ngo, Bulgarian institutions are gradually improving their transparency when publicising the acts they issue. Nevertheless, much remains to be done

Kosovar journalists need to demand implementation of their access to information rights

Furtuna Sheremeti | 8/2/2017

In Kosovo, access to information is well guaranteed in theory — in practise it’s a different story

Europe: access to information in practice, not just on paper

Andreas Pavlou* | 17/11/2016

250 years after the first transparency law in Europe adopted in Sweden in 1766, Europeans need access to information in practice, not just on paper. An editorial