Regulations related to access to information

of the Law on Freedom of Access to Information in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina", number 32/01 and 48/11)

-Instructions for the implementation of the Law on Freedom of Access to Information in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina («Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina», No. 57/01),

The most important international documents relating to the right to free access to information are:

• United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 19)

• United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 19)

• European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Article 10)

• Council of Europe recommendations

• Aarhus Convention of the United Nations.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a democratic country aspiring to EU membership, was the first country in the region to receive the Law on Freedom of Access to Information (FOIA) in 2000, first at the state level and then in 2001 in both entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska.

BiH has ratified most of the international conventions relating to free access to information.

As an international legal entity, Bosnia and Herzegovina has the obligation to incorporate them into its legislation and apply them.

The enjoyment of this right is guaranteed by the Constitutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as by laws on freedom of access to information.

But, despite all the guarantees in international and domestic regulations, the most important thing for exercising the right to freedom of access to information is the willingness of citizens, the media, non-governmental organizations and the economic sector to request access to information. They should do this whenever they feel it is necessary. They should do this professionally and not be afraid of it, because providing access to information is a legal obligation of the institutions, which is no less important than any of their other obligations.