THE AGENCY COMMENSES WITH MONITORING OF THE WEBSITES OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

 

In the direction of increasing transparency and accountability, the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information begins monitoring the websites of public enterprises under the jurisdiction of the municipalities and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. The monitoring will cover 43 holders of information, of which 31 are public enterprises under municipal jurisdiction and 12 are under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The level of transparency will be assessed through a detailed questionnaire containing 36 questions and sub-questions. These criteria derive from Article 10 of the Law on Free Access to Public Information (LFAPI). They will enable an objective evaluation of the availability of information for citizens published on their web pages. The monitoring will start on March 27 and will last until April 27. The officials of the monitored holders will have a deadline of April 9, 2025, to answer the submitted Questionnaire, that is, to self-evaluate their web pages. Per the methodology for monitoring proactive public information publications, the Agency will monitor the web pages and evaluate them according to the information published/moved on during the monitored period.

Proactive transparency is a key principle in ensuring free access to public information. Public enterprises must regularly and promptly publish information on their websites, enabling citizens to get to know their work faster and more efficiently, as well as the activities resulting from their competencies. This is especially important for promoting democratic processes and strengthening trust in institutions.

The purpose of monitoring is to identify potential deficiencies in the publication of information and propose improvements so that citizens have easier access to data of public interest. The results are expected to give a clear picture of the compliance of public enterprises with the legal obligations for transparency.

The report with the monitoring findings will be published on the Agency’s website after the analysis is completed. It will be available to information holders and the public.