IMPLEMENTED MONITORING FOR THE PROACTIVE TRANSPARENCY OF THE STATE INSTITUTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2024

21.01.2025

 

INSTITUTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2024

The Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information monitored state institutions’ websites for their proactive transparency for 2024. The report provides a detailed picture of the level of proactive transparency and identifies challenges, but also good examples in the publication of public information, in accordance with Article 10 of the Law on Free Access to Public Information.

The monitoring, which included 113 state institutions, shows that 69% of the information, according to Article 10 of LFAPI has been published, representing a medium level of transparency. The report states that:

  • 40 institutions achieved a “very good” level of transparency (38.5 to 50 points)
  • 53 institutions are rated with a “good” level (25.5 to 38 points)
  • 19 institutions show an “average” level (13 to 25 points)
  • No institution is rated with a “very low” level of transparency
  • The State Inspectorate for Construction and Urbanism website was not monitored because it was not active during the monitoring period.

The best proactive transparency list for 2024 has the following institutions:

  1. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management – 49 points.
  2. Food and Veterinary Agency – 49 points.
  3. Ministry of Defense – 49 points.
  4. State Commission for Prevention of Corruption – 48.5 points.
  5. Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth – 48 points.

The weakest proactive transparency is shown by the following institutions:

  1. Administration for Hydrometeorological Affairs – 14 points.
  2. Directorate of Technological Industrial Development Zones – 15.5 points.
  3. Aviation Accident and Serious Incident Investigation Committee – 16.5 points.
  4. Housing Regulatory Commission – 17 points.
  5. Bureau of Metrology – 17 points.

Monitoring covers four main categories of information through which proactive transparency is monitored:

  1. Access to information:
  • 76 institutions have published a link/banner for public Information on their home pages
  • Only 52 institutions have published the clarification of the method of submitting the request for access to information (method of submitting an oral, written request or electronic)
  • 73 institutions have published the Request Form for free access to public information. There are still holders who have moved the forms following the 2006 Law on Public Information and Security and its amendments from 2010/15, which direct applicants to request information through a law that is no longer in force.
  1. Organizational setup:
  • 101 institutions published the organograms for internal organization.
  • 88 institutions have published the rules for systematizing jobs, while 29 institutions do not have these documents on their websites.
  1. Operational information:
  • 72 institutions have published work strategies, but most have not been updated; that is, they have been completed and implemented.
  • 67 institutions published draft documents, programs, and opinions.
  • Only 79 institutions published annual reports on the work; the rest do not have such documents.
  1. Budget, finance, and public procurement:
  • Only 52 institutions announced the budget for 2024.
  • They just published the quarterly financial reports for the current year 14 institutions.
  • Audit reports are available on the websites of 54 institutions, while 58 institutions have not published these key documents.

The report provides clear guidelines for improving transparency:

  1. Unified Website Standards: A unified and visible banner with the title “Public information” should be placed on the home pages of all institutions.
  2. Publication of information in open formats: Financial documents like budgets should be available in Excel for more straightforward analysis and use.
  3. Continuing education: Organizing regular training for officials applying the Law on Free Access to Information.
  4. Greater budget transparency: Institutions should publish updated information on public procurement, final accounts, and audit reports.

The monitoring for the year 2024 confirms that the transparency of state institutions shows moderate progress but also points to significant shortcomings. Although some institutions exemplify exemplary implementation of proactive transparency, others must seriously fulfill their legal obligations.

Active transparency remains an essential instrument for strengthening citizens’ trust in institutions. By consistently applying the recommendations, the institutions can ensure greater openness, efficiency, and accountability, which is key to advancing democratic processes and the fight against corruption.

“Informed citizens, satisfied citizens” is the maxim for transparent state power.

You can download the monitoring report at the following link:

Report on the monitoring for the proactive transparency of the state institutions for the year 2024

Accessibility Toolbar