The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance Rodoljub Šabić passed a decision ordering the Public Enterprise “Aerodrom Nikola Tesla” to provide information on entertainment expenses and possible “management” bonuses for the enterprise's top management. This effectively ended the proceedings initiated by complaints lodged with the Commissioner for Information by the Administrative Committee of the National Assembly against ten enterprises and institutions (Public Enterprise “Aerodrom Nikola Tesla”, Public Enterprise NIS Petrol, Public Enterprise Elektroprivreda Srbije, Public Enterprise NIS -Novi Sad, Public Enterprise for Ski Resorts, Flight Control Agency, Public Enterprise Transnafta Pančevo, Building Inspectorate of Serbia, Public Enterprise “Putevi Srbije” and Radio Television of Serbia) for denial of access to information. Nine of them provided the requested information immediately after the Commissioner's intervention, and the Commissioner has suspended or will suspend proceedings against them.

In connection with this, Commissioner Rodoljub Šabić said:

“The fact that these complaints were lodged at all, regardless of their outcome, is deeply disturbing. And that the Administrative Committee of the Parliament faces problems when attempting to obtain information of this kind is suggestive, not only from the aspect of the Law on Free Access to Information, but of proper functioning of institutions as well.

From the aspect of freedom of information, the denial of information to a Parliamentary Committee is literally absurd and sends a discouraging message to those who would like to use their right enshrined in the Constitution and the law, but whose power and authority are, of course, measured on a much smaller scale.

All information on the disposal of financial and other public resources is information of paramount public importance. The public at large, indeed every single citizen, has the right to access such information. The public is legitimately, and apparently very keenly, interested in this kind of information, and not without good cause. Any denial of this information only feeds the already existing doubts, justified or not, as to the legality and purposefulness of disposal of public assets. It would therefore be useful and logical for all persons entrusted with public resources, even without a formal obligation under the law, to try and make such information available to the public as much as possible.

A good way to do this, to make information accessible even before somebody specifically requests it, is to publish it in relevant directories of activities posted on official electronic presentations of public institutions, enterprises or authorities. The publication of these directories is, by the way, a duty imposed by the law on all public authorities and organizations vested with public powers. Unfortunately, I have to use this opportunity to reiterate that, even though statistics seem to indicate certain improvements, overall we cannot be satisfied with the level of compliance with this obligation.”