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Saturday, 20.04.2024, 07:09
Lithuanian govt decides to give journalists free access to Center of Registers' info
The adopted resolution states the costs of providing information to
journalists will be covered from the state budget. The Ministry of Transport
and Communications estimates it will cost the state 25,000-30,000 euros per
month.
The costs of providing information to journalists will be covered from
the state budget until the adoption of necessary amendments stipulating
journalists' right to free of charge access to registry information for the
purpose of providing information to the public, the resolution reads.
Following the adoption of this document, the Center of Registers pledges
to sign agreements with media outlets.
The Cabinet also decided on Wednesday to table a package of amendments to
put in place regulation of free access to the Center of Registers' data for
journalists.
Transport and Communications Minister Rokas Masiulis says the
government aims to open all registry data, but that requires completing the
center's overhaul.
"I think the issue we are dealing with today should have been
resolved 20 years ago. Unfortunately,
(it wasn't)," he said.
The initial version of the amendments called for providing free access to
information to journalists who have not breached the Code of Ethics
in Providing Information to the Public or have not committed other serious
professional violations in the past year, as well as to media
organizations that adhere to ethics.
However, the Cabinet approved a proposal by Skirmantas Malinauskas,
the prime minister's advisor, to bar access to information for journalists who
have breached the ethics twice in a year.
"Practically all serious journalists have an ethical violation.
Unfortunately, that's the way it is. Complaints are frequent and there are many
grounds (for complaining). My proposal is to set it to two violations,
because otherwise it would sharply narrow the field of journalists
eligible for that information," Malinauskas, a
former journalist, said.
On September 14, 2018, the Center of Registers ended its long-time
practice of providing registry data free of charge based on journalists'
inquiries. Part of journalists said it amounted to unfounded media freedom
restrictions on receiving information from the state.
The Center of Register's new director Saulius Urbanavicius says
the practice had no legal basis for providing information.
The government discussed the issue last week but it was later postponed.
Soon afterwards the government's decision to destroy the recording of the
government meeting sparked controversy.