The conference was organised by the GONG non-governmental organisation.
GONG's seventh annual survey on the application of the Act shows that most state institutions are aware of the need to respond to requests for access to information, but there is no uniform or coherent implementation of the Act, notably when it comes to information on the state budget.
Other areas in which it is difficult to obtain complete information are contracts with private legal entities, concessions, studies, and financial transactions.
As many as 37 per cent of institutions responded to the requests beyond the legal deadline, the survey shows, adding that 96 per cent of institutions responded to the requests, but only two-thirds of the responses were complete and 13 per cent were rejected because of alleged restrictions.
The survey shows that posting information on the Internet is especially effective in raising the transparency of institutions.
Administration Minister Arsen Bauk said a new law on the right to know would soon be sent to parliament. It will define more accurately what constitutes a body of public authority and reinforce the independent body in charge of the protection of the right to know - the Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency.
"No law can prevent all cases of corruption," he said but added the new law would make it easier to uncover them.
Acting Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said Croatia had been building a democratic society a little over 20 years and that there was plenty of room to improve democratic standards.
The participation of citizens in the decisions of public authority bodies is crucial and their right to decide must not be reduced to their right to vote every four years, said Leko.
Only partnership between citizens and public authority bodies makes it possible for the state and society to work better, he added.
Today's conference was hosted by the Croatian parliament.