“If you are eager for more information, you should appeal to our boss for permission”. These words are too familiar to Mongolian journalists seeking information from civil servants. This phenomenon will hopefully disappear with the adoption of Draft Law on Freedom of Information.

Unfortunately, the draft law has not been put on the agenda of Parliament’s spring session, which lasts less than 50 days (starting from 5 April). After the summer break Parliament’s autumn session starts on 1 October.

According to Mrs. D Saranchimeg, head of the working group of the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs mandated to draw up a law on Freedom of Information indicated, the draft law is now being considered by the Ministry’s high-ranking officials, other relevant ministries, authorities and NGOs to be submitted to Parliament.

“The working group is conducting some research to clarify a number of issues. The reshuffles in the Government are the main reason why the law’s adoption is dragging out”, said Mrs. Saranchimeg, deputy head of the Ministry’s Law policy division. The draft law obliges every public institution to designate a special person who would be responsible for providing information to the public. It’s main goal is to ensure citizens’ right to information relating to the public institutions.

P.S.: In 2004 under the project “Right to know: Freedom of Information’ funded by the Open Society Institute, AusAID, US Embassy, “Globe International” NGO drew up a draft law on Freedom of Information and submitted it to Parliament through the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs. “Article 19” NGO assisted in drawing up the draft.