Zagreb - Information Commissioner Anita Markić told Parliament on Thursday that the implementation of the Right to Access Information Act in 2024 showed further improvements in the handling of requests, with declines in both requests for information and related complaints.
Markić said that 18,853 requests were received in 2024, 20% fewer than in 2023, and that public authorities resolved over 90% of requests within the statutory deadline, with more than 70% of them granted. She also noted that complaints received by the Commissioner fell 16%, and 44% of complaints related to authorities failing to respond, down from 55% in 2023.
Of the 5,811 public authorities obliged to submit reports, 4% had no information officer, and 9.4% lacked a website.
Markić highlighted a decline in compliance with obligations to publish consultation reports and public consultation plans, and noted that announcements of tender outcomes and lists of grants and sponsorships remain at historically low average levels across all categories of authorities.
Tanja Sokolić (SDP) warned that in many authorities, the right of access is rarely exercised, either because citizens do not know whom to contact, lack trust in receiving responses or because information is not visible. She noted that only three authorities -- the Municipality of Seget, the State Geodetic Administration and Hrvatske Vode -- received 23.6% of all requests, indicating a failure of proactive disclosure.
Damir Barbir (Centre) welcomed the positive trends but stressed that 63.3% of authorities received no requests at all in 2024, which he described as "alarming" and interpreted as a sign that citizens do not fully trust the system.
Independent MP Josip Jurčević also noted the issue, adding that the figure represented a 5% increase from 2023.
Urša Raukar Gamulin (We Can!) criticised the frequent practice of fast-tracking laws through parliament, arguing that it undermines democratic processes and limits public debate. She said the Access to Information Act is often disregarded and called for amendments to strengthen the Commissioner's ability to fulfil their mandate.