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Zagreb - Parliament on Friday amended by majority vote the law on the right to access information, which says that the public sector and public law bodies must respond to information access requests.
The law also obliges public bodies to inform the public about queries on the spending of public funds.
Before the vote, Arsen Bauk of the Social Democratic Party said this was one of the few laws the HDZ-led government managed not to ruin, but that the SDP could not support it due to the mistrust in those appointed to lead state bodies and their arrogance.
The leaders of state bodies who abuse the law and hide information are "arrogant, rude and have privatised institutions," he added.
One of the institutions helping to obstruct this law is the State Attorney's Office (DORH) because it constantly obstructs the publication of information by the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Bauk said, accusing the government of "occupying independent institutions" such as DORH.
Dalija Orešković of Centre said there was no real democracy or government oversight without exercising the right to access information. This law does not bring the necessary step forward, she said.