The Republic of Moldova has seen catastrophic failures in what concerns democracy – which have place it at the bottom of press freedom indexes – as well as in terms of living standards – Moldova has achieved the dubious fame of one of the poorest nations of the world, the Standing Bureau of the Moldovan Journalists’ Union said in a message on the Word Press Freedom Day. According to the statement, this is an extra proof that freedom of press is a decisive element for the development of a country; and by throttling the independent media the communist regime is simply deepening the existing poverty. The Union’s Bureau has examined a series of problems concerning the development of the organization. In this connection, it says that despite a host of challenges and obstacles the Union faces, the strained circumstances it has to endure, the Union must continue putting up resistance to the onslaught against the media institutions started by the communist government in 2001. Therefore, the battle for the political emancipation of the press and the journalist remains to be a top priority for the Union. The Bureau decided to convene the ordinary Congress of the Union on May 30 to thoroughly discuss the situation of mass-media in Moldova in recent years at to set out the tasks for the following period. On the eve of the congress, on May 29, the Moldovan Journalists’ Union, together with a number of international organizations, will hold a roundtable meeting to debate issues concerning journalism ethics and standards. The Standing Bureau urged the Union’s members to actively participate in the Solidarity March, to take place on May 8 in culmination of the Press Freedom Days in Moldova.