The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection has conducted a training program for public authority bodies on correct implementation of the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance from 4 to 6 July as part of a project supported by the Kingdom of Norway.

Representatives of several ministries and other state authorities participated in the first in a series of trainings planned in July, which lasted for two days.

The main objective of the training organized for persons authorized to act on requests for access to information is furthering their knowledge on the right to access information, on how to process the requests, on the purpose of the Directory and other forms of proactive disclosure of information.

In addition, the objective of the training is to strengthen cooperation both between the public authorities and the institution of the Commissioner, and between public authorities and their authorized persons.

The Commissioner will continue with the implementation of such programs, for he believes that the data obtained from practice clearly indicate the need for additional education. In a large number of cases for violation of the right to access information that are sent to the Commissioner (5694 during the last year), the largest part or by far the greatest number are complaints. And in nearly two-thirds of cases, when acting on the complaints filed, the Commissioner does not have to issue a formal order for granting access to information. This is due to the fact that already in answer to his request for a written statement, the public authorities state they will provide the previously withheld information and they do so. Such actions of the public authorities indicate that ignorance, lack of knowledge regarding the legislation, the rights of citizens and the public, as well as their own responsibilities is in many cases a possible "explanation" for their inadequate treatment of the requests for access to information. The Commissioner reminds that one of the obligations of all the public authorities is to get continuous education and to work on furthering their knowledge in order to improve their work on the realization and protection of citizens' rights.