The awards are presented by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, Rodoljub Sabic, and the following organisations: Transparency Serbia, OSCE Mission, UNDP Serbia, Coalition of non-governmental organisations for free access and journalists’ organisations NUNS and UNS.
The International Right to Know Day is commemorated around the world with the aim to promote the right of everyone to request and be given information in the possession of state authorities on his/her behalf.
The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia was the only one to receive an award in the category of highest state authorities for its contribution to the public right to know.
National Assembly Speaker, MA Nebojsa Stefanovic extended thanks for the recognition:

“Honoured Mr. Sabic,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

There is no need to stress that it is an exceptional pleasure to be here, particularly as someone who represents the Parliament. I would like to remind you of a joke from a UK TV show in which two British civil servants talk and Sir Humphrey says: “You know, MP Johnson has been caught sleeping in parliament twice”, and the other one responds: “Well, doesn’t he always?” “Yes, but this time it was mid-speech”, says Humphrey!
Unfortunately, this has frequently been the image of the Serbian Parliament. In recent years, the image has not changed and what we will insist on is to make the National Assembly the key institution of our society to initiate change in different directions. These changes will increase the transparency of all kinds of information. We wish to show by example that the citizens exercise their right to truthful information, and the public authorities exercise theirs to transparency. We want to improve the future relations between the parliamentarians, the Assembly, and the Assembly Service which is mainly responsible for this flattering recognition. This relates to the media, citizens and MPs, enabling them to easily access all the information about the finances and everything the National Assembly is to do in the upcoming period.
However, this award obligates not only the Parliament to continue in the same vein, but also sends a message to state authorities to follow in its wake. Serbia has to be an open society where the citizens know how their money is spent, how the resources are disposed of and what the authorities’ plans are as regards the people’s lives.

Thank you for the award.