Topical issues of applying legislation on access to public information by state authorities and local self government in Ukraine were discussed during the roundtable discussion organized by the Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
Published on 27 February 2013, at 09:39

Topical issues of applying legislation on access to public information by state authorities and local self government in Ukraine were discussed during the roundtable discussion organized by the Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information

Opening the meeting, Mykola Tomenko informed that the consideration of the bill on changes and amendments to existing laws in this area can be expected in the Parliament in early March this year.

Analyzing the problems that exist today in the legislative area, M.Tomenko noted that information with the public access should be: the draft decisions of local councils, which should be published at least 20 days prior to their discussion; master plans for urban development; data on the use of budget funds.

The Chairman of the Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat Viktor Rezvanyuk said that according to the Decree of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "On fulfillment of the Law of Ukraine "On access to public information" in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat" Information Department is defined by the subdivision on requests for information of information providers.

The Chairman of the Presidential Administration Main Office for Providing Access to Public Information Denys Ivanesko pointed out that in the ranking of similar laws in the world Ukrainian law on access to public

information occupies 8th place.

He stressed also that the law on access to public information "for the first time legalized email as a way of communication between governmental bodies and citizens."

On describing the basic provisions of the legislative proposals of the government in this area, D.Ivanesko offered: introducing fines for violation of the law; prevention of information concealment, openness of the City Master Plans, a publication of declarations of income of high officials etc.

The Chairperson of Department of Access to Public Information of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Roksolana Stadnyk, the Representative of Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Oleksander Pavlichenko, the Representative of the State Committee for television and radio broadcasting of Ukraine Hanna Krasnostup, lawyer of the Mass Media Institute Roman Holovenko, independent media-expert Dmytro Kotlyar and the Chairman of the Media Law Institute Taras Shevchenko participated in the meeting.