Towards Full Implementation of the Serbian FOIA

Thanks to the support of the Open Society Fond in Belgrade in 2004 the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights become one of the members of the Coalition of the Nongovernmental Organizations for Free Access to Information in Serbia (other members are Centre for Antiwar Action, Centre for Advancement of Legal Studies, Civic Initiatives, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and Transparency International Serbia). The Coalition was successfully lobbying for the adoption of the Free Access to Information Act that was adopted in November 2004. Coalition published “Guide through the Freedom of Information Act” in 5000 copies for state authorities, NGOs, local governments, etc. Later one the Belgrade Centre follow implementation of the Free Access to Information Act. Trough this project Centre started to organise seminars regarding free access to information.

During eight months of the project activities eight seminars and trainings were carried out in Palic (September), Belgrade (September), Kragujevac (October), Novi Sad (October), Belgrade (November), and two in Nis (November and December) in the period September – December 2006. Belgrade Centre constructed special section with FOIA project activities announcement and materials from each seminar and training that were held on the Web page of the Centre.

Encouraging feedback from participants, as well as CEELI positive experience with working with the Belgrade Centre has been the basis for continuation of cooperation in 2007. See projects 2007……