The Law on Access to Information needs adjustments to meet the current requirements, considers the chairman of the Administration Board of “Acces-info” Center Vasile Spinei. According to him, the reality in Moldova has changed during the 16 years of the adoption of the law, when the possibilities of accessing information of public interest changed and the legislation should be thus adjusted, IPN reports.

In the 13th annual conference “Access to information and transparency in the decision-making process: legislation, reality, perspectives”, Vasile Spinei said that after ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Information, Moldova started to be monitored by European experts as regards the population’s access to information of public interest. In a year, it will have to report on the situation. For a better implementation of the Convention’s provisions, a plan of action and a working group for monitoring the implementation of the document are needed.
 
Director of the Association of Independent Press Petru Macovei said the Republic of Moldova faces serious problems in the area of access to information owing to the absolutization of the personal data, which affects the public interest. Even the data of public interest are classed as personal data and access to information is hampered. When information is required after a long trial, the definitive and irrevocable court decision does not guarantee access to this. The Law on Access to Information must not be amended, but work should be done with those who interpret the law, which are providers of information.

Electronic Press Association executive director Ion Bunduchi noted that in the countries where there is more information, the people live better. A Government does not produce rights, but must ensure them because the people are those who pay taxes and provide the rulers with salaries. The Law on Access to Information adopted 16 years ago was good initially, but when it was adopted they didn’t expect that the Internet and information technologies will advance so much that the access to information will be possible not only by official ways. Another problem is that the mechanism for holding those who do not provide information of public interest accountable is not clear enough.