THE AGENCY BECAME PART OF THE NEW EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR TRANSPARENCY AND RIGHT TO INFORMATION – ENTRI

At the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC 2025), held from 23 to 25 June 2025 in Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany, the new European Network on Transparency and Right to Information (ENTRI) was officially established. In the next three-year period, the network will be chaired by the German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), an executive board was elected, and the Charter of the European Network for Transparency and Right of Access to Information was adopted.

In her address, the host of the conference, Prof. Dr. Louise Specht-Riemenschneider, emphasized:

“ENTRI is a strong voice for greater transparency and freedom of information in Europe. Together with our European partners, we have established a network for exchange and cooperation. Free access to information is the foundation of good governance and democracy.”

Representatives from North Macedonia also actively participated in the conference’s work, including Plamenka Bojcheva, Director of the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information, and Tanja Kovachev, State Councilor at the same institution. The participation of the Macedonian delegation confirms the state’s commitment to promoting transparency and consistently respecting the public’s right to access public information. Through its active involvement, North Macedonia becomes part of a new European initiative that aims to promote regional and cross-border cooperation, strengthen transparency, and enhance the accountability mechanisms of public institutions.

The three-day event united more than 50 countries and over 100 representatives – information commissioners, experts from the academic community, media, and civil society organizations. Participants exchanged experiences and views on current legal and practical issues related to freedom of information. A special emphasis was placed this year on access to information about the environment, a topic of particular importance in the context of global environmental challenges.

For the first time within ICIC, at the initiative and with the support of BfDI, NGOs from around the world were enabled to hold their parallel event, which highlighted the key role of civil society in promoting transparency and accountability within institutions.