September 28 is the International Right to Know Day that was founded by the organizations working on freedom of information in different countries across the world. The day has been celebrated since 2002.

Expectations have recently been emerged in our country for creating new legislative framework for freedom of information. The new act must eliminate the major problems, such as: absence of independent and effective mechanism for supervising the freedom of information, lack of appropriate sanctions, etc. The governmental resolution, adopted in 2014[1], defined that the new bill on freedom of information was to be submitted to the Parliament and the Government in the spring of 2015. However, the bill has not been presented so far. By the governmental resolution[2] adopted in July of the current year, 2016 was determined as a new date. The Public Defender hopes that the plan will be fulfilled this time.

At the same time, it is important due discussions to be held before the submission of the bill and all stakeholders to be given the opportunity to take part in the discussions, while any change to the document must be made in a transparent and justified way.

The situation of freedom of information in the country is part of Public Defender’s annual reports. In the 2015 report the Public Defender addressed the Parliament to make amendments that will make available the data of special categories of current, former and nominated officials of high public interest that are protected in public institutions and concern their fulfillment of duties. In addition, the Public Defender addressed the Government with a recommendation to timely initiate a bill on freedom of information, while it called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take necessary measures for launching necessary procedures for ratification of the European Council Convention of 18 June 2009 on Access to Official Documents. The recommendations still remain unfulfilled.

[1] Resolution # 557 on “Approval of the Open Government Partnership Action Plan for 2014-2015" adopted by the Government of Georgia on September 18, 2014.

2 Resolution # 338 on “Approval of the Government’s Human Rights Action Plan for 2016-2017" adopted by the Government on July 21, 2016.