Ca Mau Authorities Demand Clarification on Classified Document Response to Press

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Ca Mau province has taken a firm stance, demanding that the Urban Environment Joint Stock Company explain the basis for classifying their response to press inquiries as "classified."

This action stems from a request made by the department on April 14 for the company to answer questions from Thanh Niên newspaper following a press conference. The company responded on April 16 with a document marked "classified," which the department could not then provide to the newspaper.

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The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism requests the Urban Environment Joint Stock Company to clarify the basis for the classified document responding to the press in Ca Mau.

The department is now asking the company to clarify the specific grounds for deeming their document "classified." They also reminded the company that while they have the right to withhold information considered state secrets or trade secrets, they are obligated under the 2016 Press Law to provide information that does not fall into these categories.

This situation highlights a crucial principle: information not officially classified as a state secret must be made public. The department's directive serves as a clear administrative reminder of this obligation, ensuring transparency in dealings with the press.

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For content that falls under state secrets or trade secrets, the enterprise has the right not to provide information to the press according to regulations. For content that does not fall into these cases, the enterprise must fulfill its obligation to provide information to the press according to Article 38 of the Press Law of 2016.