Administrative Silence Drives Most Access Complaints in the Canary Islands
The Complaints and General Affairs Service of the Canary Islands Transparency Commissioner has issued more than 650 resolutions as of early August 2025, aiming to respond within the legal three‑month deadline set by transparency regulations.
The majority of complaints stem from administrative silence – when a public administration fails to answer an information‑access request within the legal timeframe. The service stated in a communiqué that it is working to respond within the three‑month legal deadline.
Current legislation recognizes the right of access to public information and obliges administrations to publish data proactively and to respond to requests from citizens and entities through their designated portals and channels.
If the response received does not satisfy the requester, the deadline to lodge an appeal is one month from notification. If no response was given within the legal period, a claim can be filed at any time.
How to File a Claim
- In‑person: Submit the form and a copy of the original request (and, if applicable, the resolution) at the Transparency Commissioner’s registry or at any official registry of the Government of the Canary Islands, island councils, or town halls.
- Online: Use the Transparency Commissioner’s electronic portal.
Institutional Visit in Puerto del Rosario
The mayor of Puerto del Rosario, David de Vera, and the councilor for Institutional Relations, María Franco, received a visit from the Common Party deputy, Lola Padrón, accompanied by her advisory team.
During the meeting, the main citizen demands concerning water, infrastructure, urban planning and housing were discussed.
The city council pledged to appoint a liaison to facilitate coordination with the Common Party’s deputation and to speed up the handling of pending matters, providing quicker responses to citizens’ complaints.
“We appreciate this visit as a coordination meeting to provide a faster response to our neighbors,” the mayor said.