Slovak National Party MP Adam Lučanský was one of the lawmakers who submitted the amendment to the Free Access to Information Act to parliament in May 2024. (source: Jaroslav Novák)
Slovakia’s parliament has passed a bill introducing fees for access to public information, a proposal originally criticised by the Let’s Stop Corruption Foundation as a threat to transparency.
The bill, vetoed by President Peter Pellegrini in late November, was submitted to parliament by the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), a member of the ruling three-party coalition, back in May. It was ultimately approved by coalition lawmakers on December 10, disregarding the president’s objections.
The SNS party argued that it aims to introduce a “mechanism to enable state and local institutions to effectively manage the provision of information and ensure that the costs associated with extensive searches and access to information are covered.”
State and local institutions could previously charge fees for providing information, such as for making copies or sending materials to those requesting it, even before the SNS bill was passed. However, many have raised concerns about the vague language in the new legislation, particularly regarding the phrase “a significantly extensive search of information.”
Róbert Dobrovodský, the public defender of rights, believes the law will deter people from requesting information from public institutions, including ministries and town halls, once it comes into effect in March 2025. However, before that happens, he intends to turn to the Constitutional Court.
“Now that parliament has overridden the president’s veto, I consider it my duty to fight to preserve the high standard of citizens’ right to access information,” he said.
