SCTM - Main award for special contribution in affirmation of the right to access information of public importance

At the ceremony marking the International Day of the Public's Right to Know (September 28th) organized by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Protection of Personal Data, distinguished authorities and organizations were awarded with recognition for their outstanding contribution to promotion of the public's right to know. This annualy awarded recognition of the efforts of those who have excelled in spreading transparency, accountability and freedom of information, is presented in several categories.

Among the winners of this prestigious award is Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM), which was presented with the main award - a transitional statuette for a special contribution to affirmation of the right to free access to information of public importance. Commissioner Milan Marinović pointed out that the award is the result of great contribution of SCTM in supporting local self-governments to fulfill their obligations, both through training on access to information of public importance and in the area of fulfilling obligations under the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance.

Accepting the transitional statuette, Nikola Tarbuk, Secretary General of SCTM, thanked for the award, recognized work and achievements of Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and emphasized that SCTM employees deserve this award, especially those who work in the area of free access to information of public importance. Also, a great deal of credit for this award given to SCTM, goes to numerous people employed in local bodies who cooperate with SCTM on development and improvement of local self-government capacities in Serbia. Finally, for successful results of SCTM in affirming the right to free access to information of public importance, great credit goes to international partners, primarily the Swiss Government, which directly supports the activities of SCTM in this area, but also other partners who support the work of the organization.

Next to SCTM, the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Protection of Personal Data presented with awards for improving the right to free access to information to the National Academy for Public Administration in the category of republic authorities, to the Higher Public Prosecutor Office in Smederevo in the category of judicial authorities, to the City of Leskovac in the category local self-governments and the Assembly of AP Vojvodina in the category of provincial authorities. This year, an award was also presented to other authorities - PUC "Vodovod i Kanalizacija" Subotica, and two special awards were presented - one for contribution to education in the field of right to access information of public importance, which was won by the Faculty of Law of the University in Kragujevac, and the other for the performance of legal obligations in difficult conditions, which was received by the Primary School "Šarski odred" Sivce - Štrpce.

This recognition highlights the importance of free access to information, especially in a world where transparency of institutions is essential to preserve democracy and the rule of law.

September 28th as International Day of the Public's Right to Know was declared on November 17, 2015, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and on October 15, 2019, by the General Assembly of the United Nations. In this way, the importance of respecting freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to seek, receive and communicate information, contained both in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was emphasized. In the Republic of Serbia, this day has been celebrated since 2006 in the organization of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.