15. 10. 2004

To Information Act “soon”

BELGRADE, October 15, 2004 (Beta) – The Culture and Information Council has passed the government’s bill on freedom to access to information of public importance. The bill provides for state agencies to make appropriate information available to the public and the media. Deputy Culture Minister Milorad Radosavljevic, speaking on behalf of the legislation’s proposers, said today that all member countries of the Council of Europe had adopted similar legislation. He described the bill as one of the fundamental laws necessary for democratic development in the country, adding that the legislation conforms to the highest international standards. The bill defines “information at the disposal of government bodies” as being of public significance if it arises from or is related to the work of the government body and is contained in a specific document and relates to any matter in which anyone has a legitimate interest. The committee rejected by majority vote amendments to the issue of commissioners which were proposed by the Serbian Radical Party.