In article surveys one of the majorproblems in shaping and developing the open society - that of the transparency of authorities' actions. Special attention is given to the analysis of legal provisions for the transparency of activities of governmental bodies and public management and to the institutional and personal factors of implementation of the authority openness. The article argues for the advance of social institutions for communication between the government and public management bodies and the public itself (i.e. public relations institutions) and emphasises their special importance for the contemporary political development of Ukraine.