All information held by state institutions, unless it is classified as restricted, should be freely accessible to the public.
Request
If you ask state institutions for public information which is generally available, you do not need to explain why you need the information.
You may request public information from a state institution in any form – orally, in writing or electronically.
Read more if you want to request information that is not publicly available, but instead is restricted.
Time
If your request for information does not require additional activities from the institution, it should provide the information within 15 days of the receipt of your request. The information may be provided orally, in written form and where possible, through electronic communication as well.
Fees
In the situation where your request does not require additional activities from the state institution, the information should be provided free of charge. However, the state may require you to cover the fees necessary for finding or copying the information that you seek. In any case, the fee for the information cannot exceed the costs incurred by the institution to fulfil your request.
Refusal & Explanation
State institutions cannot refuse to give you access to public information in which they possess. Where an institution partly of fully denies you access to public information which it possesses, it must issue a written decision explaining:
- the motivation, indicating the reasons for denying access to the information requested
- the legal basis for such refusal, including a reference to a law or government regulation
- the procedure and time-limits for appeal if you disagree with this decision
In certain situations, state institutions can refuse your request to access information. These situations include:
- when it is enabled for the user to access the requested information,
- when informing the user that the user has already received the information, and the period of 90 days has not passed since the submission of the previous request, in which case he is obliged to inform the user in which way and by which act the information has already been delivered to them,
- when informing the user that the information has been made publicly availabe, in which case the user must be informed of where the information is available and how to get to it, i.e. provide them with a link to the information published on the website,
- when informing the user that, as a party to the proceedings, the availability of information from judicial, administrative and other legal proceedings is established by other regulation,
- when informing the user that there is an obligation to protect the information, i.e. to keep it confidential.
How to complain
Read more about how to complain if you have been denied access to public information.