[ - Moldova lags behind in implementing democratic standards in the area of mass media. Can you characterise the developments in the area in 2007 and what are your forecasts for 2008?] There are two aspects which we must describe here: firstly, the legislative framework must be modified and harmonised with the law on the access to information, where the public interest is more important that the institutional one. The law on the press is already anachronistic and does not correspond to the realities; the law on state secret and the law on commercial secret must be reviewed. The Parliament should hasten the examination of the draft law that concern the freedom of expression and the draft law on transparency in decision making, which was approved by the Government in September 2006 and, following someone’s instructions, has not yet reached the Parliament. This is a shameful and scandalous case which we will speak of in detail after the New Year as the fight against corruption means first of all transparency and not triumphant reports. Secondly, it is painful but we must say it: there is yet a lot of work to do as regards the journalistic competence and professionalism, the equipment of editorial offices, the attraction of large foreign investment and, essentially, the elimination of the fear that keeps the soul hostage. I’m extremely pessimistic about the year 2008 as this is a pre-electoral year that will be much bitterer than the earlier ones. If the electoral players and the mass media manage to get rid of hatred, Moldova will come closer to civilisation and a free media. [ - What were the most serious violations of freedom of the media in 2007 in your opinion?] One - annihilation of transparency and obstruction of the journalists’ access to information. It is an aberration to deny the journalists access on the pretext of accreditations that have been devised to block mass media access to public meetings. Two - the halt in broadcasting live the Parliament’s plenary meetings. Three - the government’s discriminatory attitude towards mass-media, the division of the media into “good and bad”, “ours and theirs”, “patriotic and unpatriotic” etc. The method as well as its aim is old, while the journalists have not been and are not united. [ - What concerns should be high on the Moldovan authorities’ list of priorities in 2008 in order to implement beneficial reforms in the area of mass media?] We would be able to speak about beneficial reforms only when all the people of this country really want to be free. You cannot become free by begging freedom. You cannot be free by piously serving the master. We will have beneficial reforms when all the press wants them. We will have free press when the population wants to constantly know the truth.