Promotion of Open Government through FOI Legal Assistance and Litigation
May 1, 2006 – April 30, 2008

Description: The aim of this project is to promote transparency and accountability of government by encouraging and facilitating public demand for government held information. The project objectives are to support citizens and journalists who seek government held information; to help people get access to justice in FOI cases; to address the courts in cases when information of high public interest is refused; to systematize FOI litigation practices; to use the results of legal assistance in public campaign for better Freedom of information practices; ant to spread out the positive results of the AIP experience in national and global networks. The aims of the project will be fulfill through provision of consultancy to journalists, NGOs and citizens in cases where they seek information and in cases of refusal; filing applications and submissions to the administrative courts; court representation; and permanent media campaign on FOI cases and practices.

Donor of the project: Open Society Institute, Human Rights and Governance Grants Program, Budapest

Expected results:
- citizens and citizens’ groups encouraged to exercise actively their right to access government held information;
- more government openness and accountability in the fields of: public registers, public procurements, public sector services performed by private companies;
- knowledge of the public administration how to apply restrictions on openness proportionally, only with reasons to prevent harm after a balancing procedure;
- promotion of regional and international exchange of information on access to information litigation.