The blacklist is topped by Transport and Communication Minister Manuk Vardanyan followed by Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, Emergency Situations Minister Armen Yeritsyan, Hamalsaranakanner Condominium chairman Armen Tadevosyan, Yerevan Municipality Information Department head Artur Gevorgyan and Haypost’s former executive director Armen Khachatryan.
“If we include in the blacklist also those officials who broke the time limits envisaged by law for the provision of information, then our list will be wider. And these officials did not provide information at all,” explained FOICA President Shushan Doydoyan.
She thanked journalists for writing about officials included in the “blacklist”, noting that the measure has some positive effects especially after publications in the press.
“Last quarter the mayor of Stepanavan who appeared in a similar list after the publication revoked his decision according to which for providing a page of information to citizens a fee of 500 drams (about $1.3) was set. And the minister of health has shown some excellent results — this time around he has answered all eight requests for information directed to him,” said Doydoyan.
The Freedom of Information Center of Armenia has published its “blacklists” since 2001 including in it officials and state bodies that break people’s right to receiving information. Mainly senior officials violating the Freedom of Information Law appear in such “blacklists”.
