HRVATSKI ARHIVI I PROVEDBA PROPISA O UREDSKOM POSLOVANJU I PRAVU NA PRISTUP INFORMACIJAMA
CROATIAN ARCHIVES AND ENFORCEMENT OF OFFICE OPERATION AND RIGHT OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Summary/Abstract: On November 2006 I have sent to all 14 Croatian state archives of the period identical letter asking certain information regarding work of users' rooms and consultation of records. Archives' answers are evidence of relations of archives towards users, but also show how much archives, in performing theirs tasks and answering to clients' requests, respect provisions of records management and freedom of information acts. One of the Republic of Croatia Constitution's provisions is that anybody has a right to write to a public organization, and receive answer from that organization. Vast majority of archives, or 93 percent of them, respects this provision. Archives to a certain degree respect records management regulations in force, provisions related to formal validity of a document. Disturbing fact is that 23 percent of archives (almost one quarter) do not use classification mark and registry number. Only one (less than one tenth) from 13 of received archives' documents is fully formally correct. Freedom of information act determines that a public body is obligated to enable to a claimant access to information not later than 15 days from the day a claim is lodged. 31 percent of archives do not obey stated provision, and thus at the same time breach provisions of the Law on administrative procedure. Law on archival records and archives determines that archives perform professional supervision over preservation and selection of archival records stored out of archives, and rule measures for its protection. By analyzing received answers certain questions unavoidably arise: what system archives use to file and retrieve documents that do not have classifications mark and registry number; how much archives contribute to the poor image of profession by not obeying the laws; are archives which do not obey records management regulations competent to perform professional supervision over preservation and selection of archival records stored out of archives. Answers to these questions can be given, after a thorough analyze, only by competent bodies: the Ministry of Culture and the Central State Office of Public Administration. Archivists themselves must very strictly obey relevant regulations.

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