Access to public information in Serbia

rdf:langString Access to public information in Serbia

rdf:langString Access to public information and freedom of information (FOI) refer to the right of access to information held by public bodies also known as "right to know". Access to public information is considered of fundamental importance for the effective functioning of democratic systems, as it enhances governments' and public officials' accountability, boosting people participation and allowing their informed participation into public life. The fundamental premise of the right of access to public information is that the information held by governmental institutions is in principle public and may be concealed only on the basis of legitimate reasons which should be detailed in the law. In Serbia, access to public information is guaranteed in the Constitution and protected by the Law on free Access to Information of Public Importance adopted in 2003 and amended in 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2021. The scope of the right entails that everyone in Serbia has the right to access to information of public importance and to be informed whether public authorities hold specific information, whether such information is already accessible, and to obtain a copy of the requested information.The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection is the authority entitled by law to monitor the respect of obligations entailed by this Law.