Information Freedom wins in Gripen-case

Following today’s first instance decision of the Capital Court, the Ministry of Economy and Transport is ordered to make public their list of fulfilments approved until 11.09.2008 by the Offset Committee with regard to the Gripen fighter-jets. The Court emphasized, that since public funds - which are of public interest - are involved, the fact that contracting partners are citing business secrets is, by itsself not enough to withhold the information from the public.

Premise:

HCLU’s Legal-aid Service took on representation of Zsófia Gergely, journalist of origo.hu in the lawsuit she initiated against the Ministry of Economy and Transport.
The journalist wanted to find out what compananies’ fulfilments were approved by the Ministry of Economy and Transport with regard to the offsets of the Gripen-acquisition worth approximately 200 billion forints.

Since the Ministry withheld this information, the journalist had to turn to the Court, which ruled that the data has to be made public.

 

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