Twinning to promote free access to information

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Published: November 16, 2025

A delegation from the Agency for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information (ASPI), led by its director, visited Tallinn from 5 to 7 November 2025 as part of the EU Twinning Light project to strengthen the right to free access to public information. The focus was on learning about the systematic publication of information on the websites of public institutions through practical examples, lectures, discussions and technical demonstrations.

The participants were impressed by the level of digitisation, automation and transparency at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the e-Estonia Briefing Centre, the Information Security Authority (RIA), the e-Governance Agency (eGA), the Ministry of Justice and the Estonian Data Protection Inspectorate.

The Estonian interlocutors emphasised that the transparency of public administration was one reason for the Estonian population's enormous trust in their state. This is also reflected in Estonia's excellent position in the anti-corruption ranking. The Macedonian delegation is motivated to follow this path, which Estonia began more than 20 years ago.

The study trip left a lasting impression on the participants, as it demonstrated the great potential of digitalisation and transparency in combating crises of confidence in states and democracies. It can make administration more efficient, citizen-friendly and faster, and successfully combat corruption.