The Information and Data Protection Commissioner’s Office, in cooperation with the European Movement in Albania (EMA), organized the second meeting within the framework of the National Convention for European Integration, supported by the European Union.
The meeting focused on the implementation of the Law on the Right to Information in Albania, addressing the challenges and developments related to transparency, accountability and the role of the Commissioner in this process.
The roundtable was attended by representatives of civil society, public institutions, media, academia and experts from Slovakia, who shared experiences and good practices on European standards of transparency and good governance.
The Director General for the Right to Information, Ms. Elona Hoxhaj, initially provided a summary of the legal framework for the right to information and access to information. Focusing on the latest progress report of the European Commission, Hoxhaj stated that achievements in the field of the right to information and transparency are decisive for Albania’s progress in the European integration process, as they are closely related to good governance and accountability.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the EMA, Mr. Gledis Gjipali, emphasized that the harmonization of our national legislation with European standards is not a simple process and requires commitment from both state institutions and broader involvement of other actors such as civil society, academia, media and other interest groups.
The Director of Monitoring Transparency Programs at the Commissioner’s Office, Ms. Emerlinda Pema, focused on the problems that emerged during the implementation of the law, specifically in the process of monitoring the transparency program of public authorities.
After the institutional presentations, Michal Piško, Director of Transparency International Slovakia, took the floor, sharing with the participant’s concrete cases of the implementation of the right to information in his country. He pointed out that, unlike Slovakia, Albania has an independent supervisory and monitoring authority, such as the Commissioner’s Office, for the implementation of the law on the right to information.
The open discussion addressed issues such as: the distinction between documents that must be published and those that are exempted; the transparency of various institutions that provide public services; as well as obligations to publish information in the field of public procurement and the protection of sensitive data, etc.
The activity also served as a space for cooperation and dialogue to promote the involvement of non-state actors in the monitoring and implementation of policies related to the right to information and the European integration process.
