the experience of journalists and NGOs in the country shows that, despite FOI legal provisions, in practice it is difficult to get information of public importance. In the last years the proportion of requests refused by public authorities in Montenegro improved from 24% in 2014 to 18% in 2015. Also, the 2016 budget of the Agency for the Protection of Personal Data and Access to Information was increased by 50%. The limited capacity and resources of the Agency was an issue of concern for some NGOs advocating for access to information. In 2015, out of a total of 4.434 requests for access to information, the information requested was not provided in 805 cases. The Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information received a total of 1.431 complaints in 2015. The majority of cases received by the Agency concerned administrative silence: in these cases the request remained unanswered. The majority of FOI requests, around 70%, are filed by NGOs, among which stands the NGO MANS. This data shows the low awareness and knowledge by the general public of the right of access to information and its legal provisions. In the majority of cases applicants are get the required information with large delays, beyond the time frame established by the law, and often after having filed a complaint to the Ombudsbam. Another issue of concern is that court decisions on cases concerning access to information are not effectively enforced. The report of the EC also points out that in some cases public authorities in Montenegro seem to abuse the possibility of declaring requested documents confidential in order to avoid their disclosure. Indeed, according to the NGO MANS, the law includes a series of unnecessary reasons for exceptions for limiting disclosure. The formulation of the exceptions enshrined in the law seems to be too vague and too general, thus giving room for public institutions to interpret it in a way that restricts access to information. Another reason of concern is the high percentage of requests that remain unanswered. According to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), problems in realizing the right of access to public information arise in particular when journalists and NGOs seek information about the privatization process or seek information that could potentially reveal cases of corruption or illegal activity. According to the NGO MANS, the respect of the law on access to public information is particularly problematic