The project of the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (NAIH), which was implemented within the framework of the Public Administration and Public Service Development Operational Program (KÖFOP), aimed to explore the situation of freedom of information in Hungary. The objective of this gap-filling research was to map out on a comprehensive and scientific way the state of freedom of information as a fundamental constitutional right in Hungary.
In addition to the protection of personal data, the NAIH is also responsible for monitoring and facilitating the exercise of the right to access data of public interest. Freedom of information appears in research as a public service. This includes all services that serve the common interest of the people, the continuous needs of the people, and the state or some state body or local government is responsible for their operation and insurance.
As the first step of the project titled Mapping the Hungarian practice of freedom of information and increasing its effectiveness, possible factors hindering transparency were identified and formulated. This was followed by the implementation of research and surveys, which examined the implementation practices of the disclosure obligation of each reporting agent, the practices related to the execution of data requests carried out in the public interest, and general information practices related to the given public task. Based on the results of research, proposals and recommendations were made to decision-makers and legislators, and the necessary interventions, optimization processes and tools were developed.
Besides that, within the framework of this project the development of an individual portal was built up which deals with information freedom and also its primary goal is to promote and contribute to freedom of information as a fundamental right and to make this area as well known to citizens as data protection.
The task of the project and thus the aim was to involve non-governmental organizations in the implementation, so 64 non-governmental organizations participated in the program from the consortium’ side. Through the implementation of research, the areas of the process of freedom of information that deserve more attention have emerged, making them able to focus in the form of concrete guidelines and recommendations. The results of the research have clearly confirmed that changes are needed on both the data request and the data controller side in order to better enforce freedom of information as a fundamental right. Following the implementation of the research reports and then the research-related surveys and other input activities, the summary research reports were prepared.
The program was implemented with European Union funding under the KÖFOP-2.2.6-VEKOP-18-2019-00001 project.
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