Source: http://www.rti-rating.org/view_country/?country_name=Macedonia
Timestamp: 2017-06-27 08:55:10
Document Index: 275306174

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 2', 'Art 3', 'Art 3', 'Art.16', 'Art 15', 'Art 11', 'Art 18', 'Art 16', 'Art 21', 'Art 21', 'Art 29', 'Art 29', 'Art 6', 'Art 6', 'Art 6', 'Art 7', 'Art 20', 'Art 213', 'Art 28', 'Art 31', 'Art 30', 'Art 33', 'Art 35', 'Art 28', 'Art 28', 'Art 39', 'Art 8', 'Art 32', 'Art 8', 'Art 9', 'Art 32', 'Art 37', 'Art 32']

MacedoniaName of law : Law on Free Access to Information of Public CharacterFirst adopted : 2006
Right of Access	6	4 Scope	30	30 Requesting procedures	30 21	Exceptions	30 22	Appeals	30 18 Sanctions	8	4 Promotional measures	16	14 TOTAL	150	113 Right of Access Indicator Description Scoring instructions MAX score Findings Points Article Comments
Article 16 of the Constitution of Macedonia provides: "The freedom of speech, public address, public information and the establishment of institutions for public information is guaranteed. Free access to information and the freedom of reception and transmission of information are guaranteed.<...>"
Link to constitution: (english version)
http://www.sobranie.mk/en/?ItemID=9F7452BF44EE814B8DB897C1858B71FF
Art. 2 "(1) The present Law shall provide for publicity and openness in the operation of information holders, and shall enable natural and legal persons to exercise their right to free access to information of public character. (2) Information holders shall be bound to provide for public information throughout their operation."
YES Article 4
"(1) Free access to information shall be enjoyed by all legal and natural persons. (2) Free access to information shall also be enjoyed by foreign legal and natural persons in accordance with the present Law and other laws."
Article 3 "<...> “information of public character” shall refer to information in any form whatsoever, created or disposed by an information holder in line with its competencies (hereinafter referred to as “information”) <...>".
Article 3 "<...> “information requester” shall refer to any legal or natural person without discrimination on any grounds whatsoever, in a manner and under conditions prescribed in the present Law and in other laws (hereinafter referred to as “the requester”); and - “document” shall refer to any record of information, regardless of its physical form or features, a written or a printed text, maps, schemes, photographs, pictures, drawings, sketches, working materials, as well as audio, voice, magnetic or electronic records, optical or video records in any form whatsoever, as well as mobile equipment for automatic data processing with integrated or transferable memory to store data in digital form."
YES Art 3.
"Certain expressions in the present Law shall have the following meanings: -“information holders” shall refer to state administration bodies and to other bodies and organizations specified by law, municipal bodies, bodies of the City of Skopje and to municipalities comprising the City of Skopje, institutions and public services, public enterprises, and to legal and natural persons performing public competencies determined by law; <...>"
"Certain expressions in the present Law shall have the following meanings: -“information holders” shall refer to state administration bodies and to other bodies and organizations specified by law, municipal bodies, bodies of the City of Skopje and to municipalities comprising the City of Skopje, institutions and public services, public enterprises, and to legal and natural persons performing public competencies determined by law;<...>" 10 The right of access applies to State-owned enterprises (commercial entities that are owned or controlled by the State). Score 1 point if some, 2 points if all2
YES Art 3. Certain expressions in the present Law shall have the following meanings: -“information holders” shall refer to state administration bodies and to other bodies and organizations specified by law, municipal bodies, bodies of the City of Skopje and to municipalities comprising the City of Skopje, institutions and public services, public enterprises, and to legal and natural persons performing public competencies determined by law; 11 The right of access applies to other public authorities, including constitutional, statutory and oversight bodies (such as an election commission or information commission/er). Score 1 point if some bodies, 2 points if all2
"Certain expressions in the present Law shall have the following meanings: -“information holders” shall refer to state administration bodies and to other bodies and organizations specified by law, municipal bodies, bodies of the City of Skopje and to municipalities comprising the City of Skopje, institutions and public services, public enterprises, and to legal and natural persons performing public competencies determined by law;<...>". 12 The right of access applies to a) private bodies that perform a public function and b) private bodies that receive significant public funding. 1 point for public functions, 1 point for public funding 2
"Certain expressions in the present Law shall have the following meanings: -“information holders” shall refer to state administration bodies and to other bodies and organizations specified by law, municipal bodies, bodies of the City of Skopje and to municipalities comprising the City of Skopje, institutions and public services, public enterprises, and to legal and natural persons performing public competencies determined by law;<...>". Requesting Procedures Indicator Description Scoring instructions MAX score Findings Points Article Comments
YES Art.16
"(4) The requester shall not be obliged to provide justification to its request, but it shall have to state that it is submitting a request for access to information."
14 Requesters are only required to provide the details necessary for identifying and delivering the information (i.e. some form of address for delivery).Score Max 2 points and deduct if requesters are required to give any of the following: ID number, telephone number, residential address, etc.2 YES Article 16: "(1) The type and format of the request to access information form shall be determined by the Commission; the information holder shall be bound to provide the requester
with such a form; (2) Each request shall contain the title of the information holder, the personal name
and surname of the information requester, data on the possible representative or
authorized person, the firm or the legal person.
(3) In its request, the requester shall be obliged to state the information it wants to
become acquainted with, and the way in which it wants to become acquainted with
the contents of the information requested (insight, transcript, photocopy, electronic
(4) The requester shall not be obliged to provide justification to its request, but it shall
have to state that it is submitting a request for access to information.
(5) If, on the basis of the subject of a request, it is to be concluded that the procedure
is about a request to access information in accordance with the present Law, the
information holder shall be obliged to consider such a request in accordance with the
15 There are clear and relatively simple procedures for making requests. Requests may be submitted by any means of communication, with no requirement to use official forms or to state that the information is being requested under the access to information law.Max 2 points. Considerations include that there is no requirement to state that the request is under the RTI law, nor to use an official form, nor to identify the document being sought. 2 YES Art 15. "(1) The request for access to information shall be submitted by the requester to the information holder. (2) As for a request mentioned in paragraph (1) hereunder submitted in electronic form, the provisions of the present Law and of other laws shall apply."
16 Public officials are required provide assistance to help requesters formulate their requests, or to contact and assist requesters where requests that have been made are vague, unduly broad or otherwise need clarification. Score 1 point for help in formulation and 1 point for clarification procedures2 YES Art 11.
"In order to provide for free access to information, the responsible person with the information holder shall be bound to provide to information requesters premises in which the latter may have insight to information requested, and officials in charge of information mediation shall be bound to assist information requesters in their requesting information in accordance with the present Law and with other laws."
19 Clear and appropriate procedures are in place for situations where the authority to which a request is directed does not have the requested information. This includes an obligation to inform the requester that the information is not held and to refer the requester to another institution or to transfer the request where the public authority knows where the information is held.Score: 1 point for information not held, 1 for referrals or 2 for transfers2 YES Art 18.
"(1) If the information holder having received an information request does not dispose with the information requested, it shall, immediately, and within three days following its receipt of the request at latest, be obliged to forward this request to the information holder that, according to the contents of the request in question, is considered to be the holder of the information requested, and shall inform the requester accordingly.
(2) The prescribed time period to provide information shall commence from the day the request mentioned in paragraph (1) hereunder is received by the information holder to whom such request has been forwarded."
20 Public authorities are required to comply with requesters’ preferences regarding how they access information, subject only to clear and limited overrides (e.g. to protect a record).Score: 2 points for Yes, only 1 point if some limitations2 YES Art 16.
"(3) In its request, the requester shall be obliged to state the information it wants to become acquainted with, and the way in which it wants to become acquainted with the contents of the information requested (insight, transcript, photocopy, electronic record)."
21 Public authorities are required to respond to requests as soon as possible.Score: No=0, Yes=2 points 2 YES Art 21.
"(1) The information holder shall be bound to answer the requester’s request immediately, or within 30 days following the date of information holder’s receipt of such request at latest."
22 There are clear and reasonable maximum timelines (20 working days or less) for responding to requests, regardless of the manner of satisfying the request (including through publication).Score: 1 point for timeframes of 20 working days (or 1 month, 30 days or 4 weeks). Score 2 points for 10 working days (or 15 days, or two weeks) or less.2 Partially Art 21.
23 There are clear limits on timeline extensions (20 working days or less), including a requirement that requesters be notified and provided with the reasons for the extension.---2 YES Article 22. "(1) If the information holder should need a time period longer than the one prescribed in Article 21 of the present Law to enable partial access to certain information, in line
with Article 7 of the present Law, or due to the large scope of the document requested, it may extend the time period needed, yet the time period for issuing
information may not, as a whole, exceed the period of 40 days following the date of receipt of an information request."
24 It is free to file requests.Score: No=0, Yes=2 points2 YES Art 29.
"(1) Insight to information requested shall be provided free of charge."
25 There are clear rules relating to access fees, which are set centrally, rather than being determined by individual public authorities. These include a requirement that fees be limited to the cost of reproducing and sending the information (so that inspection of documents and electronic copies are free) and a certain initial number of pages (at least 20) are provided for free. Score 1 point for fees being limited to reproduction and delivery costs and set centrally, 1 point for at least 20 pages free of charge or for fees being optional2 YES Art 29. "(2) For the obtained transcript, photocopy or electronic records, the information requester shall pay a fee to the amount of material costs to be covered. (3) The Government of the Republic of Macedonia shall, upon proposal from the Ministry of Finance, adopt an act specifying the reimbursement of material costs of information providing by information holders. (4) The information holder shall publish the amount of the fee mentioned in paragraph (3) hereunder in an appropriate manner (in the official bulletin of the information holder, on its website, on an information board, etc.), and shall make this amount known to any requester before it submits its request.
(5) Should the request relate to information of larger scope, the information holder may ask the requester to in advance pay the fee to cover the costs of information obtaining."
29 The exceptions to the right of access are consistent with international standards. Permissible exceptions are: national security; international relations; public health and safety; the prevention, investigation and prosecution of legal wrongs; privacy; legitimate commercial and other economic interests; management of the economy; fair administration of justice and legal advice privilege; conservation of the environment; and legitimate policy making and other operations of public authorities. It is also permissible to refer requesters to information which is already publicly available, for example online or in published form.Score 10 points and then deduct 1 point for each exception which either (a) falls outside of this list and/or (b) is more broadly framed10 Partially Art 6.
"(1) Information holders may reject a request to access information in accordance with the law, should the information in question relate to the following: 1. information that, under the law, represents classified information of appropriate degree of secrecy;
8. information jeopardizing industrial or intellectual property rights (patent, model, sample, goods or service seal, product origin indication)."
31 There is a mandatory public interest override so that information must be disclosed where this is in the overall public interest, even if this may harm a protected interest. There are ‘hard’ overrides (which apply absolutely), for example for information about human rights, corruption or crimes against humanity.Consider whether the override is subject to overarching limitations, whether it applies to only some exceptions, and whether it is mandatory.4 YES Art 6 "(3) Under exception to paragraph (1) hereunder, information holders shall allow access to information, after the obligatory harm test is conducted with which it will be determined that, in case such information is published, consequences to the interest being protected will be smaller than the public interest to be maintained with the publishing of such information."
32 Information must be released as soon as an exception ceases to apply (for example, for after a contract tender process decision has been taken). The law contains a clause stating that exceptions to protect public interests do not apply to information which is over 20 years old.Score 1 point for each2 YES Art 6.
"(2) Information listed in paragraph (1) hereunder shall become available once the reasons for its being unavailable shall cease to exist." 33 Clear and appropriate procedures are in place for consulting with third parties who provided information which is the subject of a request on a confidential basis. Public authorities shall take into account any objections by third parties when considering requests for information, but third parties do not have veto power over the release of information.Score: 1 point for consultation, 1 further point if original time frames must be respected and the law allows for expedited appeals.2 NO Not mentioned.
34 There is a severability clause so that where only part of a record is covered by an exception the remainder must be disclosed. Score 1 point if yes but sometimes can be refused (eg: if deletions render meaningless the document) and 2 points if partial access must always be granted2 YES Art 7.
"If a document or any part thereof contains information mentioned in Article 6, paragraph (1) of the present Law, which may be separated from the document in question without jeopardizing its overall security, the information holder shall separate such information from the document and shall inform the requester on the contents of the remaining part of the document."
35 When refusing to provide access to information, public authorities must a) state the exact legal grounds and reason(s) for the refusal and b) inform the applicant of the relevant appeals procedures.Score Y/N: 1 point for a and 1 point for b2 YES Art 20.
"(3) In cases mentioned in paragraph (2) hereunder, the decision shall contain an elaboration of the reasons due to which the request in question has been rejected."
According to the Law on the General Administrative procedure, Art 213 "(1) With the instructions on legal remedies, the party shall be notified whether it shall have the right to file an appeal or to initiate an administrative dispute or other court procedure against the decision."
37 Requesters have the right to lodge an (external) appeal with an independent administrative oversight body (e.g. an information commission or ombudsman). 1 for partial, 2 for yes2 YES Art 28. "(1) The requester shall have the right to initiate a complaint in front of the Commission for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Information of Public Character, against the decision in which the information holder has rejected its request, within 15 days following the date of the requester’s receipt of the relevant decision."
38 The member(s) of the oversight body are appointed in a manner that is protected against political interference and have security of tenure so they are protected against arbitrary dismissal (procedurally/substantively) once appointed.Score: 1 point for appointment procedure, 1 point for security of tenure2 YES Art 31.
"(1) The Commission is consisted of five members, on
e of them is president and one is
vice-president. The term of office of the members i
s five years with the right to re-
appointment. The president and the vice-president p
erform their functions
(2) Upon proposal from the Government of the Republ
ic of Macedonia, the president,
vice-president and the member of the Commission rep
resenting the nongovernmental
sector shall be appointed and dismissed by the Parl
iament of the Republic of
Macedonia, for a five-year period, with the right t
o re-appointment.
(3) Two members of the Commission from among the Co
mmission's expert service
shall, upon proposal from the Government of the Rep
ublic of Macedonia, be
appointed and dismissed by the Parliament of the Re
public of Macedonia, for a five-
year period and with the right to be re-elected.
(4) The president of the Commission shall represent
the Commission and shall govern
(5) The positions of the Commission president and v
ice-president, as well as the
Commission member representing the nongovernmental
sector shall be open for
appointment to any person being citizen of the Repu
blic of Macedonia, being
respected and distinguished in the fields of inform
ation and access to information of
(6) During their mandates, the Commission president
, vice-president and members
may not perform duties within political parties' bo
(7) The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia sha
ll dismiss the Commission
president, vice-president or member prior to the ex
piration of their mandates, in cases
of a proposal from the Government of the Republic o
f Macedonia, upon personal
request from these persons, in case of these person
s' illness which will prevent them
from performing their duties, or when such persons
shall act contrary to the provisions
(8) If under paragraph (7) of this Article the posi
tion of the Commission member or
its deputy ceases, prior to the expiration of their
term of office, the Parliament of the
Republic of Macedonia, upon proposal from the Gover
nment of the Republic of
Macedonia, shall appoint new Commission member wit
h a new term of office."
39 The oversight body reports to and has its budget approved by the parliament, or other effective mechanisms are in place to protect its financial independence.Score 1 point for reports to parliament, 1 point for budget approved by parliament2 YES Art 30.
"(2) The funds for the operation of the Commission shall be provided by the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia. The seat of the Commission is in Skopje. The Commission reports to the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia and submits annual report for its work."
42 The decisions of the independent oversight body are binding. Score N=0, Y=2 points2 YES Art 33.
"(1) The Commission shall perform the tasks within its competence on its sessions. <...>"
44 Requesters have the right to lodge a judicial appeal.1 for partially, 2 for fully.2 YES Art 35.
"A suit to initiate an administrative dispute in front of the competent court may be filed against a decision issued by the Commission."
45 Appeals to the oversight body (where applicable, or to the judiciary if no such body exists) are free of charge and do not require legal assistance.1 for free, 1 for no lawyer required. 2 YES Article 29: "(1) Insight to information requested shall be provided free of charge."
46 The grounds for appeal to the oversight body (where applicable, or to the judiciary if no such body exists) are broad (including not only refusals to provide information but also refusals to provide information in the form requested, administrative silence and other breach of timelines, charging excessive fees, etc.).Score 1 point for appealing refusals, additional points for appealing other violations.4 YES Art 28. "(1) The requester shall have the right to initiate a complaint in front of the Commission for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Information of Public Character, against the decision in which the information holder has rejected its request, within 15 days following the date of the requester’s receipt of the relevant decision."
47 Clear procedures, including timelines, are in place for dealing with external appeals (oversight/judicial).Score 1 point for clear procedures, 1 point for timelines. 2 YES Art 28. "(1) The requester shall have the right to initiate a complaint in front of the Commission for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Information of Public Character, against the decision in which the information holder has rejected its request, within 15 days following the date of the requester’s receipt of the relevant decision."
50 Sanctions may be imposed on those who wilfully act to undermine the right to information, including through the unauthorised destruction of information.Score 1 point for sanctions for underming right, 1 point for destruction of documents 2 YES Art 39.
"A fine of 30,000 to 50,000 denars shall be imposed for an offense to the responsible person i.e. the official with the information holder having failed to provide information of public character in accordance with the provisions of the present Law."
53 There are legal protections against imposing sanctions on those who, in good faith, release information which discloses wrongdoing (i.e. whistleblowers).Score 2 for strong protections, 1 for moderate protections2 YES Article 38.
"Any responsibility shall be removed from an employee within the information holder that shall disclose protected information, in case such information be of significance for the disclosure of abuse of power and corruptive behavior, as well as for the prevention of serious threats to human health and life and the environment."
54 Public authorities are required to appoint dedicated officials (information officers) or units with a responsibility for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 8.
"(1) Every information holder shall designate one or more officials for information mediation for the purpose of exercising the right to free access to information. (2) The information holder shall be obliged to inform the public on the official in charge of information mediation."
55 A central body, such as an information commission(er) or government department, is given overall responsibility for promoting the right to information. Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 32.
"The Commission shall perform the following tasks:
- it shall decide on each complaint against the dec
ision and conclusion whereby an
information holder shall reject a request to access
information filed by an information
- it shall make sure that provisions of the present
Law are implemented;
- it shall compile and publish a list of informatio
n holders;
- it shall issue opinions on proposed laws regulati
ng free access to information;
- it shall carry out activities regarding the educa
tion of information holders to provide
information requesters with information disposed of
- it shall cooperate with information holders regar
ding the exercising of the right to
- it shall issue proposals regarding the necessary
funding for the Commission's
operation in the process of drafting the Budget of
- it shall adopt the Book of Rules for its operatio
- it shall draft the annual report on its operation
and shall submit it to the Parliament
of the Republic of Macedonia;
- it shall perform tasks in the field of internatio
nal cooperation related with the
meeting of Republic of Macedonia's international co
mmitments, take part in the
implementation of international organizations' proj
ects, and shall cooperate with
bodies from other countries and institutions in the
field of free access to information
- it shall adopt Statute and other acts to determin
e the manner of its operation and
- it shall also perform other tasks determined by t
he present Law."
57 A system is in place whereby minimum standards regarding the management of records are set and applied. Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 8. "(3) The official in charge of information mediation shall maintain contacts with the information requester and shall provide it with the information and support necessary, and shall maintain appropriate records of information requests received and of information storing and issuing."
58 Public authorities are required to create and update lists or registers of the documents in their possession, and to make these public. Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 9.
"Each information holder shall be obliged to regularly maintain and update the list of information it disposes with, and to publish such list so as to make it available to the public (on a website, information board etc.)."
59 Training programs for officials are required Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 32.
60 Public authorities are required to report annually on the actions they have taken to implement their disclosure obligations. This includes statistics on requests received and how they were dealt with. Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 37.
"(1) The responsible person within the information holder shall be obliged to draft an annual report regarding the implementation of the present Law, and shall submit this report for the previous year, to the Commission by 31 January of the current year."
61 A central body, such as an information commission(er) or government department, has an obligation to present a consolidated report to the legislature on implementation of the law. Score Y/N, Y=2 points2 YES Art 32.