Which are least, most open public institutions in Georgia?

The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has listed the most and least transparent state institutions in terms of availability of public information; with 55 state agencies being 100 percent transparent.

IDFI is one of Georgia’s leading non-governmental organisations (NGOs), established in 2009 to promote openness and transparency of the government, promote good governance and establish an informed society through ensuring access to public information.

IDFI hosted a presentation today about a survey it conducted about access to public information in Georgia.

This year IFDI sent 7,430 public information requests to 294 public institutions. 

From this, 4,458 requests were fully satisfied, 404 answers were incomplete, 26 requests were refused, and 1,139 were ignored.

IDFI granted a special certificate to all public institutions that provided 100 percent access to public information. In 2016, 55 public institutions achieved this. 

The most transparent public institutions included: 

• Georgia's Parliament Administration;
• The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection;
• The Ministry of Corrections;
• The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees;
• The Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure;
• The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs; 
• Office of the Personal Data Protection Inspector;

IDFI said 25 public institutions offered poor access to public information.

The least open public institution of Georgia in 2016 is the Ministry of Justice together with 12 of its subordinate bodies, which did not answer any of our 346 freedom of information requests, and subsequently received a score of 0 percent. In comparison, in 2013 the Ministry of Justice provided 95.6 percent access to public information,” IDFI said. 

Other public institutions regarded as ‘least open’ were the Revenue Service, Bolnisi Municipal Council and Municipal Administrations of Aspindza, Bolnisi, Sagarejo, Kazbegi, Kvareli, Shuakhevi, Tsalka, and Khoni.