The Metropolitan Court did not deliver its decision on appeal today in the lawsuit between Energy Club and the National Atomic Energy Agency’s Nuclear Safety Directorate (NAEA-NSD). The public still does not have access to the information on the expert opinions on the damage reduction process of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant.
Respondent NAEA-NSD submitted its motion to the court only yesterday, one day before the hearing, and sent it to the lawyer of Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) only today as well.
The court held the hearing but did not want to deliver final decision without reviewing respondent’s motion.
Next hearing is scheduled on April 20, 2006, 1 pm. Location: II. District, Fekete Sas street 3. Room Nr.VIII.
In yet another assault on freedom of expression and information, the Hungarian government adopted a new Constitution on Monday 18 April which will abolish independent oversight of the public’s right to know.
The Court of Appeal declared in its final judgment on the 21th of January 2009, that the minutes of the government meetings are data of public interest. Unfortunately, much information won’t be available for the public.
The HCLU was contacted by a representative of Zöld Rádió Kht. (Green Radio) after failing to gain access to data on ad hoc winning tenders from the Radio and Television Commission. Previously, the Court in its first instance decison has ordered the Broadcasting Fund to issue the requested documentation, but since the defendant was not present at the reading of the verdict, the ruling did not come into effect.