The Coalition for Free Access to Information (KSPI) supports the amendment to the Law on Changes and Amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information, submitted by the Serbian Ombudsman, which provides guarantees and protection to sources of information of public interest, so-called “whistle blowers”, making the fight against corruption and abuses of office, and realizations of human rights more efficient.

KSPI adds that it is equally important to protect the constitutional right to civic legislative initiative, which was gravely violated by the Skupština (Serbian Parliament) which has not discussed to this date the 2007 amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information, prepared by a group of NGOs and supported by a petition signed by more than 35,000 citizens.

The Coalition adds that the Government followed that initiative with a Draft-Law which was almost identical to the text presented by the NGOs, with three important omissions: protection of whistle blowers; possibilities to file complaints against the Skupština, Government, Supreme and Constitutional courts and the Prosecution Office in cases when they deny access to information; and supremacy of the Law on Free Access to Information over other regulations that touch on that subject.

“For all of the above, we find the only purposeful solution to be for the Parliament to show responsibility to the citizens of Serbia and put on the adoption agenda, 20 months after it was submitted, the Law prepared by the Coalition, and we demand from the Government to revoke its own proposal”, says KSPI.