Every March, the global community celebrates the International Open Data Day — a key date that brings together experts, activists, and government institutions to promote open information and enhance governance transparency.
Ukraine has traditionally been a leader in this area. However, the full-scale war has brought changes: access to many key registries has been restricted for security reasons.
Open Data Day 2025 was held under the motto reOpening, symbolizing the restoration of data access to ensure transparency and integrity. The event was organized with the support of the European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI).
In his opening remarks, the EUACI Head Allan Pagh Kristensen emphasized:
“In times of war, it is crucial to strike a proper balance between open data and security concerns. On one hand, the more transparency and digitalization, the more difficult it is for those who are corrupt. On the other, excessive openness can pose risks to national security. The key task is to define the appropriate balance and that is not only for experts and officials. Civil society and media need to have a say as well”.
During the event, representatives of government agencies, local authorities, law enforcement, and the expert community discussed the creation of a unified and secure mechanism for restoring access to critical data sets during martial law. The findings will be used to further develop open data policies for all information managers, including the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
