“Ukrainian news” agency vs. State Department of Affairs

July 29, 2016

The case initiated by the “Ukrainian news” agency was supported by Fund of protection of the right to access information against the partial refusal to provide the requested information about the funding and expenditures on “Concha Zaspa” and “Pushcha-Vodytsia” state resorts.

In 2015 the “Ukrainian news” agency sent a request for public information about the individuals who lived in “Concha Zaspa” and “Pushcha-Vodytsia” state resort, expenditures for maintenance of buildings, the amount of funding, as well as fares and benefits for inhabitants.

In response, the requester received only a part of the abovementioned information, despite the fact that all of them concerned disposal of the budget funds. The information administrator has given the information about the funding and expenditures on the houses managed by State Department of Affairs. Another part of data was not provided which was justified by the protection of privacy of the inhabitants.

The court was heard by Kyiv District Administrative Court which has found the actions of information administrator unlawful and has obliged the latter to provide the applicant with all requested information.

The text of first instance court decision (Ukrainian): http://www.reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/59448965

This decision has been appealed but the court dismissed the respondent`s arguments and left the decision unchanged.

The text of the court of appeal decision: http://www.reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/61947092