Freedom of Access to Information: A Right Guaranteed to Citizens

-       "Freedom of expression is not limited to the freedom to transmit information and ideas of all kinds, but also the pursuit of them, and obtaining them, regardless of barriers and by any means." (..from a United Nations guidance note regarding access to information...).

-       For several weeks I have been trying to access the official "Ministry of Finance and Planning" page to review some monthly, quarterly and annual statistical reports..., but I have not succeeded in accessing and obtaining them, knowing that in past years access to such financial reports was available.. even at a minimum.. and we were able to write about some financial reports and statistics to clarify them to the public and interested parties, and to involve them in the "culture of oversight of the management of public funds".

-       Publishing information and informing the citizen about it.. is the cornerstone of the rights enjoyed by the citizen, from which "freedom of opinion and expression" derives... and stifling restrictions should not be imposed on obtaining this information under the pretext of secrecy and the public interest.. ..From my observations while attempting to reach the official Ministry of Finance and Planning page, there is clearly information being withheld one way or another.... I tried to access and view the General Budget Law for 2022.. which was officially ratified by the President, and published on 1-4-2022.. I was unable to access any of this information regarding the 2022 budget. On previous occasions I encountered phrases used as justification for not publishing statistics and financial reports, "the emergency law phrase... and the Israeli obstacles that withheld clearance revenues for several months... and the Palestinian Authority refused to receive them in a reduced form.. at that time.... at times when Israel refrained in some months from transferring the Palestinian clearance revenues on a monthly basis as had been done over the years ... and therefore, the Ministry of Finance took such justifications for not publishing general financial statistics and data ..at that time and over several months..."

-       The "Citizen's Budget" for 2021 appeared in only 4 pages, while it appeared in the 2018 budget in 25 pages.. noting that it used to appear in earlier budgets in many more pages than this.. The detailed "Citizen's Budget" is important, as it explains to the citizen in detail about public debt and revenues, jobs, expenditures, etc., and it is known that oversight of the management of public funds is not a secret, nor should it be treated secretly... If some information must be protected for the public interest, procedures and arrangements are put in place.. for sensitive issues.. to preserve the public interest in safeguarding secrets.. but the monthly financial reports and statistics that the Ministry of Finance and Planning should have on its page are information that concerns the citizen first and foremost.. so he can participate in advancing the country to a higher level of growth.. and follow the many responsibility centers, numbering more than 80 responsibility centers... in their implementation of government policy and the extent to which they adhere to the objectives declared in the general budget..... also the citizen bears a public concern when he sees the local and foreign public debt accumulating.. all that is not a secret that should be hidden.. For example.. some of the Palestinian clearance revenues, which are the Palestinians' funds... leaked into the hands of the Israelis through the deductions made by their representatives in the monthly clearance committee meeting.. which is called "net lending".. and which the government in each annual general budget undertakes to reduce the balance of this leakage.. to reasonable figures.. but it fails in that and the figure increases and reaches more than 1 billion shekels annually and more.. This leakage, the government used to blame municipalities and local government bodies for their negligence in paying electricity and water debts to Israeli companies, but analysis of financial reports, such as reports of the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB), proved that local authorities are not the only ones to blame in this regard, but there are deductions unknown to the citizen, and not even anyone on the Palestinian side reviews the Israelis on some deducted invoices.. from the clearance revenues monthly.. For example amounts may be deducted from the Palestinians' clearance under the item "sewage".. and it turned out that sewage expenses for some settlements located near Palestinian villages and towns are deducted from Palestinian clearance revenues – as stated in one of the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB) reports – where the Israelis were not questioned by Palestinian employees and the relevant ministries about the correctness and accuracy of the figures and the standards the Israelis followed in those aggregate deductions.. and their comprehensiveness..!... In addition, there are accumulated debts to the Israeli fuel transport companies that transport fuel from the Haifa refinery and deliver it to Palestinian fuel stations, or to fuel storage depots for the Palestinians. Therefore, the General Petroleum Corporation is supposed to pay the wages and dues of these Israeli transport companies.. It appears that there are accumulated debts at the General Petroleum Corporation, and therefore the Israelis rush to deduct from the source.. which is easier and done monthly from the clearance revenues.. and thus.. the bleeding leakage continues... and does not decrease.. (net lending)..... By informing the citizen of this financial information, he is able to contribute to solutions and play a role in achieving integrity, transparency and accountability...!.. for the growth and prosperity of the economy.. which ultimately returns to the citizens.

-       I did not obtain the Citizen's Budget for 2022 and it is not published on the Ministry of Finance and Planning page.. as required by the applicable laws.

-       The citizen can see the newly created positions by reading the General Budget.. and the project work plans and their financing... and the government's policies and objectives it seeks to achieve... that is accountability!.. and it is a necessary phenomenon that serves the public interest of the country.... and is not a burden on it..!

-       I reviewed a report by the Coalition for Integrity and Accountability – the fourteenth annual report titled "The Reality of Integrity and Anti-Corruption – Palestine 2021" which was issued in 2022 and prepared by "Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN) 2021.." which comprises 89 pages.. while its executive summary for this fourteenth annual report totaled 13 pages. It raises concern and unease regarding transparency in Palestine as in 2021.... It stated in a monitoring process by the coalition of developments and efforts made to combat corruption and the challenges facing the integrity of governance and governance in managing public funds.. and specifically the transparency of preparing, approving and implementing the general budget, and the fairness of expenditure distribution and revenue collection. The report speaks extensively about levels, government policies, on the level of integrity and on the level of transparency of public work.. where it is necessary for the Ministry of Finance to commit to publishing financial documents and information without complication.. and without taking justifications ..

-       The State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB) plays an important and fundamental role in overseeing the management of public funds.. and despite the absence of the Legislative Council.. the Bureau publishes its annual reports on its website to inform the public.. and to involve and educate the citizen in oversight of public work.. and the last annual report issued by the Bureau was the annual report for 2020.. The Bureau also adopts a precise policy, within the limits of the powers vested in it.. where the purpose of publishing its reports is "to make a difference in the life of the citizen".. as stated in the Bureau's message: that they exert distinguished effort and employ their professional skills in a committed manner to audit the management of public funds.. despite the limited powers of the Bureau.. conferred upon it by law.!

-       Allowing the public and experts to view the monthly statistics, which show the state's expenditures and revenues.. with all their branches of debts, grants, projects and arrears, and the state's local and foreign debts.. etc., which are supposed to be published monthly, quarterly and annually on the official Ministry of Finance and Planning page.. is a procedure the Ministry of Finance and Planning must adhere to.. and it must facilitate the citizen's access to statistics, information and financial reports.. and not withhold them under pretexts.. that do not reach the level of persuasion.. We are in the same boat.. which is serving the country... to revive its economy, increase its growth, and provide services to the public in it, at least for some... of auditors or accountants, experts or university students.. and researchers.. and interested parties, media and press entities, .. etc. ... who need financial and economic information to serve the profession of journalism and present its news correctly.. and clearly, after we verify their accuracy and relevance to topics of interest to the Palestinian public.!

·       Date 27-5-2022