Project goal: To provide research analyses and prepare policy recommendations for developing effective communication within local communities.

The work on the project during the first part of the fellowship year had several major aspects.

During the first part of my OSI fellowship I dealt with:

Legislation analysis – The analysis of current legal environment of the execution of the right to information was principal goal of this part of research. I examined statutory law and local resolutions concerning access to public information at local level. Next, statues of ten municipalities were thoroughly analysed. In addition, a review of bills on access to public sector information was undertaken. Since these legislation initiatives are still being discussed is still a subject of parliament debate, the further monitoring is necessary.

1. Data from a number of opinion polls, surveys and academic researchers were analysed. I focused mainly on: performance of local authorities in the field of policy information, violation of citizen right to information and access to Internet. On the basis of extensive research in press (weekly Wspólnota and daily Rzeczpospolita), internet and face to interviews I identified the most important problems concerning information policy of local authorities in Poland. The main conclusion is that many problems result not only from the absence of a good regulations but also from lack of established democratic practice and respect for rules of law. Local officials are not aware how important is adequate information policy for building trust and co-operation between local administration and citizens. The findings will help to diagnose main causes of problems and to suggest some available remedies.
2. I prepared survey on citizens attitudes towards policy making and their ways of obtaining information about activities of local authorities. Next, in consultation with mentors and Media Program of Stefan Batory Foundation the questionnaire addressed to local authorities was elaborated. The weekly Wspólnota declared to send this questionnaire to the number of municipalities and further to disseminate the results. At the moment questionnaire is consulted with the Association of Polish Cities and their formal support is also awaited.

I was also involved in assessing BIL-Baza Informacji Lokalnej (Local Information Database) - the project of the Provincial Public Library in Olsztyn prepared for the submission to the Open Society Institute in Budapest through the Stefan Batory Foundation in Warsaw. The project prescribes creation of integrated Internet news bulletin of the local government institutions network of the Warmia-and-Mazury region. It was very helpful to consider and identify municipalities which are I am going to visit in September 2001.

Several meetings and interviews were carried out with government officials and NGOs active in the field of my research project: Paweł Wiszniewski (Ministry of Telecommunications)-Director of Information Society Department, Andrzej Goszczyński (Centre of Monitoring and Freedom of Press), Anna Hejman (Association of Polish Independent Local Press Publishers) and Media Program of Stefan Batory Foundation. I received very promising proposals for co-operation (for example organising training for local officials in respect to dissemination of information). Additionally, I have established contacts with representatives of local administration dealing with information policy.

During the second period of my research I focus on:

1. Studying the results of the survey carried out by SMG/KRC concerning the information policy of local authorities in Poland.
2. Case studies trips: Sokołów Podlaski, Ełk, Giżycko, Krosno. These included interviews with local politicians, officials, journalists and entrepreneurs.
3. Evalution of Szczecin information policy.
4. Analysis of questionnaires received from 130 cities – members of Association of Polish Cities.

During the period of the fellowship I took part in a number of conferences that addressed issues closely connected with my research project. The most important were:

1. The conference Computer Expo ‘E-Economy at the turn of the XXI century’, held in Warsaw on January 23-24, 2001. During the conference, Szczecin and Łódź City Halls Representatives demonstrated their experiences in implementations of ICT technologies in public administration offices -
2. The conference “Mazowsze 2001 on Internet”, Warszawa, May 18. At the conference the best local administration web services in Mazovia Region were presented.
3. E-democracy conference ’Cities on Internet’, Zakopane, June 20-23. It was the biggest conference focused on e-governance, organised in Central and Eastern Europe. It allowed me to discuss e-democracy issues with representatives of local and regional self-government administrations, IST experts and ICT firms representatives. The conference was attended by important guests presenting their experience of ICT use for developing communication between administration and citizens, i.e: Erling Sorensen – Kommunedata, Odense Denmark, Eberhard Binder City of Vienna, Anti Nuorivori – Manager Communication, City of Kotka, Finland. The very valuable discussion was at workgroup session: ICT on rural and small towns level presided by Paweł Tomczak representing Union of Rural Communes of the Republic of Poland
4. Conference on E-governance at local and regional level, Engaging Citizens in Policy Making: Information, Consultation and Public Participation, Antwerp, Belgium, November 27-28
5. E-administration, standards of electronic documents and flow of information, Jachranka, December 12-13, 2001
6. Monthly seminars concerning development of Information Society in Mazowsze Region organised by Voievodship Office of Mazovia Region.
7. The 10 th NISPSCee Annual Conference: Delivering Public Services in CEE Countries – Cracow, April 24-26, 2002. Presentation of topics concerning results of my IPF research project: “Improving local democracy and the quality of public services through the use of ICT in Polish local authorities”; ICT in Polish local government – better services, more transparency, prospects for increased participation”.
8. Right to public sector information and responsibilities of self-government territorial units. Lublin, February 21 , 2002

Due to participation at those conferences I had opportunity to present my views and discuss relevant topics in the field of my research project.

As my final contribution to the Polish-Dutch Postgraduate European Studies Program I completed the dissertation on access to information about environment (in Polish). This work was strongly influenced by the OSI fellowship.

I published article “Polityka informacyjna władz lokalnych” (Information policy of local authorities - Wspólnota March 9, 2002). The article advocate the need for effective communication at local level. This topic is developed further in the article entitled: “Lokalna i globalna informacja – Szansa czy zagrożenie dla samorządności lokalnej” (Local and global information – opportunity or thread for local governance , KES –SGH 2002 ).

Currently I am in process of preparing further articles for weekly Wspólnota about the benefits of openness and implementation of information and communication technologies in public administration offices. I am also preparing a research article presenting my findings to be published in Samorząd Terytorialny, a scientific monthly review.