BAJ: The Ministry of Information is the most closed state body in Belarus

18.02.2015 | Society

The survey showed that Information, Labor, Healthcare Ministries, and district courts of Minsk turned out to be the closest to the public, while the Ministry of Emergency Situations is the most open.

BAJ held a survey among its members asking to evaluate the work of press services of state agencies and the degree of their openness to the public.

Several dozens of journalists, from TUT.by, BelaPAN, Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belorussii, Zviazda, Nasha Niva, RFE/RL, European Radio for Belarus, took part in the survey, putting grades to the establishments they work with, zero being the worst result and ten the best one.

It turned out that the most closed state bodies were named the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Healthcare and district courts of Minsk. They are followed by the KGB, President’s Administration and State Military Industry Committee.

Remarkably, higher grades went to the Ministry of Finances, Ministry of Economics, Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the Ministry of Sports and Tourism. The best grade was given to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

A similar survey was held in summer 2013. Then, the most closed state bodies were the Ministry of Healthcare, Ministry of Agriculture, the KGB and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the President’s Administration. The Ministry on Emergency Situations was also at the top of the rating.

The idea of the survey is to compare effectiveness of interaction between press services of state bodies and journalists. The aim is to ensure better access to information, more openness of public institutions.

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BAJ: The Ministry of Information is the most closed state body in Belarus

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