All information held by state institutions, unless it is classified as restricted, should be freely accessible to the public.
General obligation
The Slovakian law explicitly defines the scope of information that state institutions and municipalities are obliged to make public. This includes information about their mandate, organisational structure, management and policies including all information related to using public funds, implementation of their budget and management of public property i.e., contracts, orders and invoices. Contracts related to using public funds are being published in the Central Registry of Contracts managed by the Office of the Government.
Request
In addition to this this general obligation, you as a person can ask state institutions to provide you information which is generally available and is of interest of you. You do not need to explain why you need the information. You may request public information from a state institution in any form – orally, by inspection of the relevant document in situ, in writing (by mail) or electronically – by fax, e-mail or by saving on a data carrier. In principle, it is your prerogative to specify the form of providing the information.
Read more if you want to request information that is not publicly available, but instead is restricted.
Time
If your request for information does not require additional activities from the institution, it should provide the information within 8 days of the receipt of your request. In case you are a person with a visual or hearing disability, the time limit shall be maximum 15 days in order to allow the institution to process the information accordingly to your special needs. When your request requires additional activities from the institution, the time limit may be extended by further 8 days or, in case of a request requiring special processing, by 15 days. The information may be provided orally, in written form and where possible, through electronic communication as well.
Fees
In principle, the information should be provided by state institutions free of charge. However, if processing and providing the information requires additional material costs, like copying or mailing costs, these may be charged to you. In any case, the fee cannot exceed the costs incurred by the institution to fulfil your request. Some institutions executing special tasks, e.g., real estate cadastre, business register, trade register, will charge you a fee established by special laws.
Refusal & Explanation
State institutions cannot refuse to give you access to public information in which they possess. Where an institution partly of fully denies you access to public information which it possesses, it must issue a written decision explaining the reasons for denying access to the information requested, the legal basis for such refusal and the procedure and time-limits for appeal if you disagree with this decision.
How to complain
Read more about how to complain if you have been denied access to public information.