On April 10-11, 2009 thecoalition of NGO conducted working group meeting on discussion some articles ofDraft Law “On Access to Public Information”. Top media experts oninformation regulations from Centre for Political and Legal Reforms, Instituteon Mass Information, Media Law Institute, Kharkiv Human Rights ProtectionGroup and Ukrainian NationalJournalists Union took part at the discussion.

The maingoal of the meeting was taking the Draft Law into accordance to internationaldemocratic standards and harmonizing the Draft Law structure and terminology.During the discussion the special attention was given to the observation andcommentary to the Draft Law prepared by ARTICLE 19.

Therewere proposed some amendments to the Draft Law concerning intensification thestate officials’ responsibility for transgression the right on access toinformation. The participants emphasized the necessity of   bringing the activity of thestate official to correspondence with the Law “On Access toPublic Information” side by side with bringing administrativeand/or criminal action against.

On June12, 2009 the Parliament of Ukraine has approved the concept of the Draft Lawon  Access to Public Information whichhave been developed with the active participated of the MLI.  Therefore the points mentionedduring expert meeting most probably will be topics of conversation during thenext discussion the Draft Law in Parliament.