State authorities, municipalities, higher territorial units, legal entities and natural persons that make decisions on rights and obligations in the field of public administration, as well as legal entities established by law, a state authority, a higher territorial unit or a municipality, are obliged entities within the meaning of the Freedom of Information ActOpens in a new window.
A request may be submitted by any natural person or legal entity.
A request may be submitted to the obliged entity by post, in person in writing, orally in person, by fax, by email, via an electronic mailbox, or by any other technically feasible means.
The request must clearly identify the obliged entity to which it is addressed, the applicant’s first name and surname or name or business name, their residential address or registered office, the information requested, and the proposed method of access to the information.
If a request is incomplete, the applicant must supplement it upon being requested to do so. Otherwise, the information will not be provided and the request will be set aside.
Information may be made available, in particular, orally, by allowing access to a file, including the possibility of making copies or extracts, by copying information onto a data storage medium, by providing copies of documents containing the requested information, by telephone, fax, post or email.
If the information cannot be made available using the method requested by the applicant, the obliged entity shall agree with the applicant on an alternative method of access.
Information is provided free of charge, except for the reimbursement of material costs associated with making copies, obtaining data storage media and sending the information to the applicant. The obliged entity may waive the reimbursement.
The obliged entity bears the costs of providing information in an accessible format to persons with sensory disabilities. Further details on the reimbursement of costs for providing information are set out in the Decree of the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak RepublicOpens in a new window.
A request for access to information shall be processed without undue delay, but no later than 8 working days from the date of submission or from the date on which any deficiencies in the request are remedied. The deadline is 15 working days if the information is being provided to a blind person.
For serious reasons, the obliged entity may extend the deadline by up to 8 working days, or by up to 15 working days if the information is being provided to a blind person.
An appeal against a decision by an obliged entity refusing access to information may be lodged within 15 days of delivery of the decision or the expiry of the deadline for deciding on the request without a decision being issued. The appeal must be addressed to the obliged entity that issued or should have issued the decision. The appeal is subsequently decided by the superior body of the obliged entity.
The obliged entity shall make information available for re-use in a format and by means that are compatible with its technical capabilities. Information should preferably be provided in electronic form and, where possible and appropriate, as open data that can be processed automatically, together with their metadata (datasets). A catalogue containing various datasets provided by obliged entities in the Slovak Republic is available on the Open Data Portal at data.gov.skOpens in a new window.
- Template request for access to information (PDF, 169.9 kB)Opens in a new window
- Template request for access to information [.pdf, 169.9 kB]
