In the practice of IDFI the Administration of the President of Georgia tends to leave the public information requests unanswered. In 2012-2013 IDFI appealed two times against the requests left unanswered by the Administration. It seems, that the tendency continues in 2013 as well and IDFI also continues to appeal against it.
On February 11, 2013 IDFI addressed the Administration of the President of Georgia with the request on the following issues:
• Number of the employees and freelancers
• Information about the employees relieved of positions
• Information about the appointed employees
• Information about the bonuses given in the period between January 1, 2012 and January 31, 2013
• Information about official visit expenses of the President in the period between January 1, 2012 and January 31, 2013
• List of the vehicles on the balance of the administration and the fuel costs
• Information about the state procurements in the period between January 1, 2012 and January 31, 2013
Despite the condition that, according to the Article 40, part 1 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia, the Administration of the President is obliged to release the requested information immediately, or no later than 10 days (in which case the public information is obliged to immediately inform the requester about it), the answer from the Administration of the President has not been received even in one month after the request.
On the ground of this IDFI made an administrative complaint to the Administration of the President on March 13, 2013.
In the practice of IDFI there are two more cases when the Administration of the President left the requests unanswered, which was appealed. The first case concerns the request sent on August 24, 2011, and the second – on August 2, 2012.
Interestingly, in the latter case, just a few hours before the first session in Tbilisi City Court IDFI received a letter from the Administration of the President, which noted that IDFI had to pay the fee for the copies to get the requested public information. Thus, the session was rescheduled.
For further information about the previous cases follow the links below:
IDFI expresses hope that such experience will not become a tradition and timely and complete reaction to public information requests will become part of usual practice of the Administration of the President, as well as other public authorities.
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