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Public Defender Believes Sanctions Must be Applied against Those Individuals Who Refuse to Provide Public Information

December 29, 2006

Georgian Public Defender Sozar Subari thinks sanctions should be applied against those persons who fail to provide public information within the time limits set out in the Law.

“Free access to public information is guaranteed by Law, but this Law is often violated and it hinders the journalists’ work” – Subari said.

Access to public information is guaranteed according to the 3rd chapter of General Administrative Code of Georgia. In particular, a state agency is obliged to give public information to the individuals who ask for it within 10 days after the information is requested. However, there are literally no sanctions or punitive measures included in the Law against those officials who fail to meet the above-mentioned requirements. 

In Subari’s opinion, the Law should have a provision according to which the official who fails to provide the citizens with public information within the time limit indicated above or who refuses to give out that information at all shall be fined or fired.

Subari recalled an incident that took place in November 2006 when Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava fired one of the employees of the Mayor’s Office for not providing public information.

Representatives of media also supported the introduction of the above-mentioned sanctions during the December 25 meeting that took place in Subari’s office. The meeting with the journalists was organized by Subari.

The aim of the meeting was discussion of the measures directed at protecting and developing the mass media according to National Anti-corruption Strategy Plan.

“Anti-corruption activities and development of mass media may not have a direct link, but fighting against corruption cannot be effective if we don’t protect freedom of speech and create strong media” – the participants of the meeting said

Journalists discussed the following problems that Georgian media currently faces: Expected abolition of tax privileges for press, some articles of Broadcasters’ Code of Conduct that in journalists’ opinion are discriminative, problems concerning the access to public information. The journalists also discussed the facts of pressuring of regional broadcasters.

The journalists and Public Defender decided to hold one more meeting in January in order to introduce concrete proposals in connection with the above-mentioned problematic issues.

Source: Media.ge

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