Journalists suing Poltava authorities for limiting access to information

Poltava city executive committee is sued by restricting access to public information. Three plaintiffs - journalists, public figures and MPs sent two lawsuits against local authorities. The one lawsuit is filed to the Kyiv District Court and another to the October District Court, "Trybuna" reports. 

The plaintiffs believe that city officials limit their access to public information. Journalists are saying that local authorities provide formal replies to their queries or requests, instead of specific answers. Especially when it comes answers about money spending from the municipal budget to repair roads, entrances, etc. The causes of failures with different "the topic does not match the specifics of parliamentary activity" or, "information is confidential." So inquirers have decided to sue the Poltava City Council as the information provider.

According to the head of "Hromadske.Poltava" Bohdan Zviaholsky, unwillingness of officials to cooperate with the journalists, complicates their work. "We constantly have to find some workarounds to get quite public information: the cost of the city treasury, the activities of local authorities. Although everyone has a right to know this. Here is an example of failure: "Individual and legal enteties, public organizations have access to public information, and you are a public organization with legal status." We are tired of getting formal replies. We don't see other way than to sue them"- Bohdan Zviaholsky said.