IPA 2017

In November 2019, the IPA 2 EU Funded Project started the “Promotion of Transparency and Accountability of Public Administration in the Republic of North Macedonia” (EUP / 139891 / DH / SER / MK), referred to as ProTracco. The Agency is the second direct beneficiary of activities contained in Component 2: Support of the Agency for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information.

Component 2 includes, inter alia, the following activities:

– Support for institutional preparation of regulations for policy making, in accordance with the Law on Free Access to Public Information;

– Upgrading the capacity and competencies of the Agency for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information through preparation of internal documents, functional analysis and systematization and other strategic documents, as well as the development of a Strategy for Free Access to Public Information 2021 – 2025 with the Action Plan;

-Improving the communication and cooperation with the information holders, and officials of the institutions through the development of IT communication tools, as an e-portal for the Information holders, with the aim of increased and consistent application of the Law by the information holders;

– Support for setting Standards for transparency at central and local level with the support of IT tools for measuring the performance, transparency and accountability of state institutions and holders of information in accordance with the Law (Article 10 of the Law);

– Support to the Agency in initiating its new obligation to conduct misdemeanor proceedings for those holders of information who do not act in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Free Access to Public Information (Official Gazette of RSM No. 101/2019);

– Raising public awareness of the right to free access to public information as a fundamental human right through the development and promotion of IT tools, such as an e-portal for Requesters (slobodenpristap.mk). This portal contains the List of Information Holders, where the searchers can electronically deliver the request to the information holders.

The expected results from the implementation of this component will mainly focus on strengthening the institutional capacity of the Agency by promoting and strengthening the implementation of the Law on Free Access to Public Information in the Republic of North Macedonia. It is also planned to achieve through the implementation of many activities such as institutional reorganization and production of internal regulations and other strategic documents, implementation of modernized IT tools for improved operational capacity of the Agency and providing improved services for information holders of public character, raising public awareness of the right to free access to public information, increasing the accountability and transparency of state bodies, as well as strengthening the capacity of information holders to comply with legal obligations and EU standards.

 

Tender call:

• Call for Tenderers for Implementation of Integrity
• Campaign Communication strategy Integrity Campaign_eng
• Communication Strategy Integrity Campaign – mk

Project contact person:

Mr. Przemislav Musijalkovski, Team Leader, pkm@protracco-project.mk

Mr. Aleksandar Kashumov, Key Expert on Free Access to Public Information, a.kashumov@protracco-project.mk

Mr. Boro Jakimovski, Key Information Technology Expert, b.jakimovski@protracco-project.mk

Link from the project: http://www.protracco-project.mk/

Responsible contact person from APRFAPI: Aleksandra Stojanovska, Department for International Cooperation and Projects, a.stojanovska@aspi.mk

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Component 2: Support of the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information (APRFAPI)

The activities within Component 2 should contribute to improving the implementation of free access to public information. Through these activities, support is provided to strengthen the capacities of institutions in the area of ​​free access to public information by setting standards for accountability and transparency of state authorities with the improved practical implementation of the legislation and the law on free access to public information.

The activities require strengthening the internal and external capabilities by improving the internal operational processes of APRFAPI through the effective use of sophisticated technology and IT tools, communication and cooperation with the applicant for free access to public information and the holders of information, and promoting this human right by raising public awareness of their right to free access to public information.

Activity 2.1: Upgrading the capacities and competences of the Agency for the protection of the right to free access to public information

• Support for preparing policy-making regulations following the new law on free access to public information, including analysis of the definition of classified information and the transposition of European legislation on the re-use of public sector information.
• Support and strengthening of the internal operational and institutional capacities of APRFAPI.
• Support of the IT capacities of the Agency for the implementation of the legislation for free access to public information.
• Improvement of the capacities of APRFAPI for preparation of project application and improvement of international cooperation.

 

Activity 2.2: Supporting and strengthening the public information holders’ capacities and raising general awareness of the right to free access to public information.

Increasing the capacities of information holders

• The accountability of information holders has increased by setting transparency standards at the central and local levels.
• Support the activities of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and develop activities for APRFAPI in connection with the OGP.
• Implement a campaign to raise public awareness for free access to public information.

 

Activity 2.3: Support and development of a new strategy for free access to public information 2021-2025

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The project IPA 2019/ 410-977 – Promotion of Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration completed its activities on November 10, 2022.

Below is a list of all results provided within Component 2 of this project – Support to the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information:

On February 15, 2023, the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia, as a contracting authority, sent an official letter for handing over all the results of the project, including ICT tools and software solutions, to the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information, as one of the two end users of the project, according to the Agreement No.: IPA 2019/ 410-977 – Promoting transparency and accountability in the public administration project. Within the IPA2 project under Component 2, the following results were delivered (PDF link) and handed over to the permanent possession and use of APRFAPI.

1. Instructions for the application of the Harm Test, author: Alexander Kashumov
2. Leaflet for Applicants
3. Methodology for monitoring and tracking the websites of the information holders. In coordination with employees of APRFAPI, Monitoring Questionnaires were prepared and attached to the methodology. The preparation of the following documents was also completed:
4. Proactive Publication of Information Manual
5. Guidelines for Proactive Transparency
6. Guidelines for proactive publication of public information for officials or managers
7. Analysis of the application of the Law on free access to public information with recommendations for improving the system for free access to information.
8. Report on the compliance of the Law on the use of data from the public sector with Directive (EU) 2019/1024 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 20, 2019 on open data and reuse of information from the public sector (April 2022) Annex 1 Table of compliance of the Law on the use of data from the public sector with Directive (EU) 2019/1024 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on open data and reuse of public sector information (April 2022)
9. Systematization
10. Functional Analysis

• In November 2021, a three-day team building was organised and held in Ohrid.
• In February 2022, two three-day trainings were organised for the employees of APRFAPI and SCPC. One of these trainings involved training in Project Cycle Management (PCM) and Methodology for Training of Trainers (ToT).
• The European Ombudsman responded positively, and an online two-day event was organised in early April 2022. An excellent exchange of knowledge and good practices was held at the webinar, which caused great interest among the employees of APRFAPI, who actively participated in it. Some of the recommendations are included in the daily operation of APRFAPI.

11. Findings and recommendations for the work of the Misdemeanour Commission
12. Report with analyses and recommendations regarding the online training that the Agency conducts to train officials for mediating public information
13. Analysis of the needs for the training of APRFAPI for information holders
14. Report with recommendations to strengthen proactive transparency of the information holders
15. Report on comments and discussion on the Agency’s participation in the OVP process
16. Instructions for the E-portals users (video and written instructions)
17. Campaign for the promotion of the right to free access to public information on social networks, as well as within the Integrity campaign – production of videos, logos, promotional and tangible materials
18. Report from the conducted measurement of public opinion, from which we single out 3 parameters as indicators of the success of the campaign:

• 57% increase (compared to 42% in 2020) of those who believe that the Constitution guarantees the right to access public information;
• 44% increase (compared to 33% in 2020) of those who know that there is a Law on Access to Public Information;
• 56% increase (compared to 43% in 2020) of those who know they have the right to request information from state institutions.

19. Participation in the piloting of the integrity concept (APRFAPI was one of the 5 selected pilot institutions)
20. Online training for information holders
21. The communication plan ensures continuity within the Agency’s PR activities and operations
22. Strategy for free access to public information 2021-2025 and Action Plan
23. Study visit to CADA, Portugal
24. Specification of the IT equipment in the project
25. Videos, logos, promotional and visible materials created for the Integrity campaign and the campaign for the promotion of the right to free access to public information
26. ICT tools and software solutions:
27. An electronic portal for owners that contains:

• Communications sub-system for delivery of notifications and surveys
• Information holder management sub-system
• Proactive Monitoring sub-system
• Sub-system for collecting annual reports

1. DMS — Document Management System
2. New website of the Agency
3. Electronic portal for applicants (an access to the portal for public information (www.slobodenpristap.mk))

• Appeals submission sub-system

 

27. E-Learning

The training for information holders has also been designed and prepared as an online training material, which will be easily accessed through the APRFAPI website and the Learning Management System (LMS) of the Ministry of Information Society and Administration.

EU PROJECTS