Freedom of Information Center of Armenia.

How to utilize the RA Law on Freedom of Information workshop was organized in Shirak region on June 8, 2006.

“An official will provide a citizen the information he needs in any case, if he receives directions from above, i.e. by the Government Decree”, - one of village elders from Shirak Region said during the workshop organized by Freedom of Information Center of Armenia (FOICA) and RTI in Gyumri. “RA Law on Freedom of Information has higher legal effect than any government decree”, FOICA Expert Ms. Marine Hakobyan explained answering this statement. “The law is more powerful than any government decree, and violation of this law can result in civil or criminal suit for any official”, Ms. Hakobyan said.

Workshop participants were 31 officials from Shirak region – Shirak regional government, Gyumri, Artik and Maralik municipalities’ representatives, village elders and village council members.

Mr. Samvel Grogoryan, an official from PR and Media Division of Shirak Regional Government, complained that the RA Law on Freedom of Information contains a provision, which gives the citizens an opportunity to ask for information without justifying the request, “If he doesn’t respect me and doesn’t say why he needs that particular information, why should I respect him and provide the information, moreover, without a charge?”. “The law does not contain any insult for anyone”, Mr. Manvel Badalyan, FOICA Deputy Director, said. “Information belongs to society and not to an official who holds it, and citizens are not obliged to indicate what they are going to do with their property. Officials are getting paid indirectly by citizens for their work through state budget, which is accumulated by the taxpayers’ payments”, Mr. Badalyan also mentioned.