avalikustavad

Avalikustavad is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Estonian verb avalikustama, which means "to make public," "to disclose" or "to publish." Grammatically, it corresponds to "they disclose" or "they publish" in English and is used when the subject is plural. The verb stems from the adjective avalik ("public") with the causative suffix -ustama, indicating the act of rendering something public.

Usage of avalikustavad appears across media, government, legal and academic contexts. Examples in Estonian might include "Ametnikud avalikustavad aruande" (The officials disclose the report) or "Ajalehed avalikustavad lekkinud dokumendid" (Newspapers publish leaked documents). The form is part of a regular conjugation pattern and pairs with other verbal forms such as the infinitive avalikustama and the noun avalikustamine (disclosure/publication).

In practice, actions described by avalikustavad can have legal and ethical implications, especially concerning privacy, state secrets, intellectual property and freedom of information. Different contexts require different considerations: journalistic disclosure is weighed against public interest, while governmental disclosure may be governed by transparency laws. The term is a common element of Estonian discourse about transparency, accountability and information management.