Standard regulation of the access to Information in the state law order versus exercise of the right to Information by journalists

Abstract

The article undertakes the analysis of legal norms regulating access to information in the state law order. Л particularly careful study was focused on the status of journalists as performers of the subject law to gain and spread information. According to article 1 of the press law, the press "realizes the right of citizens to reliable information, the openness of public life as well as to social criticism and control”. This regulation secures a particular position of the press in the field of information. According to a legislator, the press is a performer of the right to information on behalf of, being authorized by, or substituting for citizens. Thus the press is specially competent to exercise the right to information, which results from the fact of representing of citizens. It is obvious that a journalist realizing a right to information represents (should represent) not a particular interest but all the citizens’ one, tending to give them reliable information. So, it seems to be essential, in which circumstances access to information is defined as strict and to what degree provisions of law take into consideration a privileged position of journalists. It is also important what events being regulated by legal norms qualify to gain information and how the qualification may be realized. The article attempts to find answers to the above questions.