VII National Conference on the Right to Information - Transparency, a condition for good governance and European integration
At the conclusion of Integrity Week 2025, the 7th National Conference on the Right to Information was held today, on the topic "Agora of Transparency in the Time of Integration", organized by the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection, in cooperation with the Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption.
The conference served as a national platform for dialogue on the challenges of institutional transparency within the framework of the European integration process, emphasizing the supervisory role of the Commissioner, the responsibility of public institutions, and strengthening accountability to citizens.
The event was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, H.E. Edi Rama, representatives of the diplomatic corps, central and local institutions, independent authorities, the justice system, civil society and the media.
During his speech, the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection, Mr. Besnik Dervishi, emphasized that transparency constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of good governance and is an essential element for building trust between institutions and the public.
He emphasized that transparency should not be understood simply as the publication of documents, but as a work culture that promotes integrity, responsibility and accountability in every link of public administration.
Referring to the European Commission's 2025 Report, Commissioner Dervishi noted that the Law "On the Right to Information" in Albania is broadly in line with European standards, but its practical implementation remains inconsistent, with public authorities continuing, in many cases, to use general and unfounded justifications related to "public interest" to refuse requests for information, without respecting the principle of proportionality and without providing sufficient legal justification.
Commissioner Dervishi highlighted as the main problem the failure to respect legal deadlines for returning responses, the misinterpretation of legal restrictions, but often also due to negligence.
He also highlighted unnecessary confidentiality provisions, frequent changes of information coordinators, and shortcomings in organizing internal institutional structures for publishing updated information on official websites.
In conclusion, Commissioner Besnik Dervishi emphasized that the fair implementation of the law on the right to information requires joint commitment from public institutions, civil society, the media, the academic world, etc.
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