Report: Rate of Responses to Freedom-of-Information Requests Hits a 13-year Low

Report: Rate of Responses to Freedom-of-Information Requests Hits a 13-year Low - Civil Georgia

Georgia’s accessibility to public information has plummeted to its lowest level since 2010, with most ministries ignoring freedom-of-information requests. This severe drop in transparency undermines democratic accountability, as citizens and watchdogs can no longer effectively monitor government actions or hold officials responsible for their decisions. The situation highlights critical flaws in the country’s enforcement mechanisms, including the lack of a designated oversight agency and ineffective judicial processes. These systemic barriers prevent timely redress, rendering legal protections for public information largely theoretical and leaving citizens without viable recourse when institutions withhold data. This article is highly relevant to open data because it illustrates the disconnect between legal frameworks and actual practice. It underscores that publishing data is insufficient without robust compliance and enforcement; true open data ecosystems require accessible, responsive institutions and effective mechanisms to ensure that public information remains available and usable.

Source: civil.ge
Published on 2023-06-09

Open Data

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