"Despite some positive developments, the proposed amendments do not guarantee the full respect of the right of citizens to seek and receive information, - said Mijatovic. - After a thorough legal review suggests a number of important recommendations that can improve this bill, and I hope that they will be taken into account in the discussions. I also hope that the discussion will be open to all interested parties, including representatives of civil society. " Mijatovic emphasized that her office is ready to continue cooperation with the House of Representatives in reforming the media sphere in Belarus to bring it in line with OSCE commitments and international standards, including those it applies to the current law on mass media. In comments to the bill states that it largely implements the initiative of the legislator to raise the level of assurance of the constitutional right of citizens to seek and receive information. "The bill does not impose any restrictions on the freedom of information was, however, such may be the result of improper formation of law enforcement - emphasizes the expert. - But the main drawback of the document should recognize the half-hearted measures to ensure the realization of the right of citizens to information." Among the benefits of the bill said the expert increase the degree of protection the rights of citizens to information, a new level of transparency of public authorities, the requirement of mandatory publication and accessibility to the public a certain body of information, the creation of preconditions for adequate legal protection of citizens' personal data as constitutionally significant values. At the same time, the bill contains the following significant negative points: did not fully implement the principle of open government, because they do not set their fullest duty to disclose publicly available information and does not provide maximum conditions for the implementation of the citizen's rights to information. Question full control of personal data protection is not resolved, the legal basis for this important legal institution incorporated in such a way that there are potential conflicts of law emphasizes the expert. In addition, the wording of the draft permit to interpret them restrictively, not in favor of a citizen who is the subject of information relations. The main recommendations of the expert proposes to supplement the provisions of the bill, setting the principle of transparency of publicly available information provided by the duty of government to promote the dissemination of relevant information. Dmitry Golovanov also recommends that additional guarantees citizens' right to information by setting the right look, including requesting information by any lawful means with the choice of any suitable shape, unless otherwise expressly provided by law. It should also provide for legislative recognition of the principle of the inadmissibility of the requirements of the person requesting the information confirm the validity of such a request, as well as to expand the list of publicly available information contained in the article of the law "On Information, Informatization and Protection of Information" to include a full description of environmental information, as required by the Aarhus Convention. It is also recommended to expand the list of publicly available information, to include information on budget execution authority.
