Information on Government Officials’ Salaries and Bonuses Might Be Made Confidential

Netgazeti

A draft-law has been initiated in the Parliament of Georgia. If the law is passed, information on public officials’ salaries, bonuses and other personal data will be made unavailable to the public.

The Ministry of Justice of Georgia drafted the bill which aims to remove Article 44 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia.

Article 44 of the acting General Administrative Code states that public agencies shall not disclose information constituting personal secrets, except for personal data of public officials (including candidates to such positions), without the consent of the information subject, or a court decision rendered pursuant to the law.

This means that, nowadays, any person can request personal information – salary, bonus, business-trip expenses, etc - about a public official. If the agency refuses to release this information, the person making the request has one month to appeal to the court to have the documents released.

The executive director of the Georgian Journalistic Ethic Charter, lawyer Tamar Kordzaia, told Netgazeti that by passing this draft-law the government will legalize the currently illegal practice of public agency refusal to release information on officials’ salaries and bonuses.

The introduction of the draft-law states that removal of several articles from the General Administrative Code became necessary to avoid regulation of one and the same issue by two different laws.

Tamar Kordzaia said that the Law on Protection of Personal Data does not state that personal data about public officials should be available.

The coalition Media for Advocacy responded to the possible amendments to the law by saying that it believes that the state should ensure availability of government officials’ personal data.

“We think there should be a different approach to personal data for public and private persons because in accordance with international standards, those categories are clearly distinguished. Government officials hold significant instruments of state authority and can have an impact on the country. Hence, it is inadmissible to deprive the public of the right make a choice, to have information about the to-be elected person, about his/her property before and after occupying the position, and other important information; this information will allow citizens to make an informed decision,” the statement of “Media for Advocacy” reads.

The coalition members believe that transparency in the political system, civic engagement, and principles of cooperation with civil society are vital for a democratic state. Media should have a chance to obtain and disseminate information about public officials, and the state should carry out its responsibilities following the principles of open governance.

The coalition also calls upon the Parliament of Georgia to not decrease the existing transparency in the country and to not abolish guarantees for the availability of public officials’ personal data.