28th September is the ‘Right to Know Day’ in 90 countries around the world. The idea was born on 28 September, 2002, on an international meeting of Freedom of Information organizations in Sofia, Bulgaria. On that day, Freedom of Information Advocates (FOIA) Network was also founded with the aim of promoting the individual right of access to information and open, transparent governance.
The ‘Right to Know Day’ itself symbolizes the global movement for promotion and also raising awarness of the right to information.
HCLU celebrates the ‘Right to Know Day’ with five access to public interest data cases on court this week.
Freedom of Information Advocates Network
Eötvös Károly Policy Institute, Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and Hungarian Helsinki Committee informed the President of the European Commission on the failure of the Hungarian lawmaker to fulfill its obligation to guarantee the complete independence of the Data Protection Commissioner. Hungary therefore breached its duty arising from EU law.
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.