In a pluralistic and democratic society, the transparency of public authorities is of utmost importance. The right of access to official documents provides the public with essential information, enabling them to form opinions about the actions of public authorities. The transparency of public authorities fosters their integrity, their efficiency, as well as their accountability. The Council of Europe’s Tromsø Convention, ratified by Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2020, recognises that everyone has the right of  access to official documents held by public authorities without discrimination and regardless of the requester's status or motives in seeking access.

Considering this, seventeen representatives from relevant institutions of the State, Entity, and Brčko District levels, along with civil society organisations and independent bodies, attended a training session on “Transparency and Access to Government Information” held on 21 and 22 May 2024 in Igman, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The goal of this session was to strengthen the capacities of local stakeholders for a more effective monitoring and reporting, taking into account the international standards of access to information. In particular, the training aimed to raise awareness among participants about the Tromsø and Aarhus Convention standards and their implications in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The presentations focused on the definition of central terms, providing an overview of international legal, institutional, and practical aspects, including the case law of the European Court of Human Rights on access to information and the assessment of the conformity of national legislations with the above-mentioned international standards.

This activity is supported by the project ‘Enhancing institutional capacities on freedom of expression and information in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EFEx)’, implemented by the Council of Europe and funded through the voluntary contribution of Sweden, through the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida).