The conference brought together high-level representatives from over 150 central, independent public authorities, the justice system and local self-government, as well as experts and activists from civil society and the media. The highlight of the activity was the crucial role of civil society and the media in promoting the right to access public information and strengthening transparency, for the formation of responsible institutions with integrity.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Albanian legislation for the right to information ranks 7th in the world. He criticized the prevailing mindset in the administration that sees the provision of information as an unnecessary exposure, emphasizing that public information should be accessible to all citizens.

The Minister of State for Public Administration and Anticorruption, Adea Pirdeni, highlighted the progress made during the last decade in the implementation of the law on the right to information. She emphasized the increase in the number of public authorities implementing the Transparency Program and the central register of requests and responses in 222 public authorities which is up and running.

Commissioner Besnik Dervishi emphasized the importance of the work done so far by public authorities in increasing transparency, but underlined that yet there is a long way to go until higher standards are achieved. He emphasized that transparency is an essential element in the fight against corruption and invited all stakeholders to strengthen accountability and involve citizens and civil society in this process.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) expert, Drago Kos, made a significant contribution to the conference with his presentation on the fight against illegal financial flows.
The conference touched on the state of transparency of the Albanian public authorities, underlying problems and proposals for its improvement. The panels emphasized the importance of increasing trust and cooperation between all parties to achieve the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the country.
/sm/