On 8 March 2011, Access Info Europe launched its first Twitter campaign asking for information about the status of Spain’s access to information law from the Ministry of the Presidency. During the day around 300 people sent a tweet to the recently inaugurated Twitter profile of the Ministry, with the message “Where is the transparency law?”

The ministry responded rapidly, by phoning Access Info Europe and offering a meeting between Minister Ramón Jáuregui and representatives of the NGO platform the Coalición Pro Acceso on 17 March.

The Twitter campaign had been necessary because the Ministry had not replied to two previous letters, the last one sent on 12 January asking for a meeting about the draft law which was leaked to Access Info Europe in September 2010 but has never been made formally public.

“We hope to receive some clearer information about the status of the draft law at the meeting,” commented Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info Europe, adding that “The draft has been analysed by national and international experts and it falls well below current international standards.”

Some press articles about the campaign (in Spanish) can be found here:

http://www.abc.es/20110308/medios-redes/abci-acceso-transparencia-gobierno-twitter-201103081507.html

http://www.estrelladigital.es/blogs/juan_varela/ciberprotesta-resucita-ley-acceso_7_916778315.html

For more information please contact:

Victoria Anderica, victoria@access-info.org