PROTECTION OF RIGHT OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION BY CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLAINT

Abstract

U čl. 38. Ustava RH zajamčena je sloboda mišljenja i izražavanja misli teje, među inim, zajamčeno i pravo novinara na pristup informaciji, Pitanje dostupnosti podataka sadrži u sebi sukob interesa tajnosti i interesa javnosti: oba su interesa legitimna, ali do koje mjere? Važnost dostupnosti podataka ima nekoliko aspekata: osobni, politički, pravni, profesionalni, medijski, ekonomski. Prema mjerilu (ne)postojanja predmnjeve dostupnosti podataka usporedna zakonodavstva na ovom području mogu se podijeliti u dvije glavne skupine (rad sadrži primjere iz obiju). Slijedom kumulativnih pretpostavki za zaštitu ustavnih prava putem ustavne tužbe, glavna pitanja kojima se rad bavi jesu ova: Je li ustavno pravo na pristup informaciji ograničeno samo na novinare? Protiv kojih je odluka u ostvarivanju prava na pristup informaciji dopuštena ustavna tužba? U kojem je trenu iscrpljen redoviti pravni put? U pogledu prvog pitanja iznijeti su argumenti u prilog obiju koncepcija (prema restriktivnoj, legitimirani su samo novinari, dok su prema široj legitimirani svi građani). Autor smatra da se pri odbijanju pristupa podacima radi o odluci koja se može pobijati ustavnom tužbom. Tri su varijante odgovora na pitanje o iscrpljenome pravnom putu: putem Vijeća za provjeru tajnosti, u okviru postupka određenog za tijelo kojem se stranka obratila te primjenom čl. 66. odnosno 67. Zakona o upravnim sporovima. Zaključno autor iznosi glavne teze rada.The Article 38 of the Constitution of Republic of Croatia guarantees the freedom of cociousness and expression and, among others the right of journalists to access information has been guaranteed. The question of access to data contents in it self a conflict between the interest o f secrecy and the interest of the Publicity: the both interests are legitimate, but to what extense? Importance of accessible data has several aspects: individual, political, legal, professional, o f the media, economic. According to the measure of (non) existence of a presumption of accessibility of the data the comparative legislation in ibis area could be distinguished into the two main groups (the article contents instances of the both). Following the cumulative requirements for protection of the constitutional rights by a constitutional complaint the main issues dealt with in the article make the following: has the constitutional right of access to information been limited only to the journalists? Against which decisions in realization o f the right on access to information a constitutional complaint is permitted? In which moment the regular legal remedies are exhorted? In regard to the first question the arguments in favor of the both concepts have been presented (according to the restrictive one only the journalists are entitled and according to the wider one all citizens are entitled). The author is of the opinion that the decision on denial of access to information might be challenged by a constitutional complaint. There are the three variations o f possible answer to the question of an exhorted legal path: by a Council for Clearing the Secrecy in a procedure prescribed for that body to which a party applies, and by an application o f the Articles 66 respective 67 o f the Administrative Disputes Act. In the conclusion the author summarizes the main theses of the article