Improving Transparency of Data on Assets of Officials (HR0019)

Computerisation of the work of the Conflict of Interest Commission Necessary resources: HRK 300,000 Implementation indicators: Through the computerisation of the work of the Commission, tools will be developed allowing the interested public to more easily access information on the assets of officials. Lead institutions: Conflict of Interest Commission Supporting institutions: None specified Start date: Not specified, End date: 30 June 2015

10. Improving Transparency of Data on Assets of Officials

Commitment Text:

10.1. Computerisation of the work of the Conflict of Interest Commission   

Necessary resources: HRK 300,000  

Implementation indicators: Through the computerisation of the work of the Commission, tools will be developed allowing the interested public to more easily access information on the assets of officials.

Lead institutions: Conflict of Interest Commission

Supporting institutions: None specified

Start date: Not specified   End date: June 2015

Commitment Aim

The aim of this commitment was to develop tools, allowing easier public access to information regarding the assets of public officials. Electronic submission of public officials’ financial reports  allows the Conflict of Interest Commission and the public to better verify the accuracy of the submitted information. This, in turn, allows for greater transparency regarding officials’ property.

Status

The Conflict of Interest Commission already had a publicly accessible website^{[Note 52: https://www.sukobinteresa.hr/.]} with information on public officials' asset declarations, and it also included information on public servants in management positions in state administration bodies. The IRM researcher found the implementation of this milestone to be completed on time, based on the schedule set by the action plan.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Marginal

Public accountability: Marginal

The Conflict of Interest Commission already had a publicly accessible website^{[Note 53: Available at https://www.sukobinteresa.hr/.]} with information on public officials' asset declarations, and the website also included information on public servants in management positions in state administration bodies. The aim of this commitment was to develop new tools, allowing easier public access to information on the assets of public officials. Electronic submission of public officials’ financial reports allows the Conflict of Interest Commission and the public to better verify the accuracy of the submitted information. This, in turn, allows for greater transparency of officials’ property and increases their public accountability. According to the draft self-assessment report, after the introduction of the computerised system, consistency in the presentation of information, as well as the completeness of the data, has improved, increasing transparency. This was confirmed by the interviewed CSO representatives.^{[Note 54: The interviews were conducted in the period from September to October 2015. For more information, see the IRM midterm report.]} The IRM researcher concludes that the introduced changes made a small but important step in opening government practice, both in improving the quality of information accessible to the public and in improving opportunities to hold officials answerable to their actions. According to the self-assessment report, after the introduction of the computerised system, consistency in presentation of information as well as the completeness of the data has improved, which has increased transparency. As a result, interested parties, such as CSOs and the media, have used the available information to increase public scrutiny and point out conflict-of-interest situations involving officials. For example, in January 2016 a minister in the former government had to resign after spending one week in office due to false data about his residence on his asset declaration.^{[Note 55: For illustration on this example, see the following media reports: http://net.hr/danas/hrvatska/afera-ne-staje-crnoja-je-prekrsio-ugovor-s-gradom-samoborom-dobio-je-kredit-i-zemljiste-da-sagradi-kucu/; http://www.telegram.hr/politika-kriminal/ovo-je-7-najvaznijih-stvari-o-aferi-s-laznim-prebivalistem-ministra-branitelja-mije-crnoje/; and http://www.express.hr/top-news/konacna-odluka-crnoja-dao-ostavku-3743#.]}

Carried forward?

The commitment has been completed within the evaluation period. The next action has not been drafted or released by the government in accordance with the OGP schedule. The IRM researcher suggests that the commission consider upgrading the searchability of its decisions published on the website by including topics, locations, articles of the corresponding laws, etc. as search variables, which would increase transparency and accountability and improve access to information about assets held by public officials.