| Georgia: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Public Access to Information | ||
| Indicators | Score | |
| 12 | Do citizens have a legal right of access to information? | 100 |
| 13 | Is the right of access to information effective? | 50 |
Indicator and sub-Indicator Details
| 12 | Do citizens have a legal right of access to information? | |||||||
| 12a: In law, citizens have a right of access to government information and basic government records. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: General Administrative Code of Georgia, Chapter III, Freedom of Information
Peer Review Comments: Also see Chapter 2 of the Constitution.
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| 12b: In law, citizens have a right of appeal if access to a basic government record is denied. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: General Administrative Code of Georgia, Chapter III, Freedom of Information Administrative Code of Procedure
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| 12c: In law, there is an established institutional mechanism through which citizens can request government records. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: General Administrative Code of Georgia, Chapter III, Freedom of Information
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| 13 | Is the right of access to information effective? | |||||||
| 13a: In practice, citizens receive responses to access to information requests within a reasonable time period. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Annual study of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, reporting on the implementation of Freedom of Information requests. reports are available from 2004, 2005, 2006 at www.gyla.ge Authors: Tinatin Khidasheli, Tamar Gurchiani, Tamar Chugoshvili
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| 13b: In practice, citizens can use the access to information mechanism at a reasonable cost. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: By law, information is free. Citizens pay only for copying. For more information about the costs and legal problems see report of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association at www.gyla.ge/foi
Peer Review Comments: In some offices, donor organizations have paid for copiers and computers to make it easier for the public. However, once the projects were completed, this equipment was removed from public areas.
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| 13c: In practice, citizens can resolve appeals to access to information requests within a reasonable time period. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Freedom of Information, Appeals and Litigation, 2005, 2006 at www.gyla.ge/foi Annual Report of the Public Defender of Georgia to the Parliament, from 2005 and 2006 at www.parliament.ge
Peer Review Comments: It depends what kind of information is requested. If it harms the image of an institution or a high-ranked public official, state agencies really try to create barriers.
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| 13d: In practice, citizens can resolve appeals to information requests at a reasonable cost. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Law makes it affordable for all citizens. Individual appeals on freedom of information cases are free of charge. General Administrative Code of Georgia; Code of Administrative Procedure
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| 13e: In practice, the government gives reasons for denying an information request. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: Government under Sunshine- report of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association on practical implementation of Freedom of Information Law, 2004, 2005, 2006 at www.gyla.ge; Annual report of the public defender to the Parliament of Georgia, 2005, 2006 at www. parliament.ge
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