The press in Moldova is not yet fully independent and unbiased, but despite certain statements there are correct media outlets that present the reality as it is and earn money by themselves, the executive director of the Association of Independent Press (API) Petru Macovei stated for Info-Prim Neo. According to the API, the media outlets that are not financed with money from the public budget and present the reality in accordance with the journalistic Deontological Code are independent organizations. “There are such organizations in Moldova. Most of them are members of the API. But there are also media outlets from outside. This does not mean that we can speak about full independence of the press in Moldova. It continues to be dependent on politicians and interested economic groups that appropriate more and more media outlets,” said Petru Macovei. He also said that it is 15 years of the foundation of the API, but the moment when they can say that their mission of promoting the independence of the press in Moldova was accomplished is not yet close. “After 15 years of activity, I have to say that there are more failures than successes. We can find thousands of excuses. The political situation in the country until 2009 prevented us from having discussions on the improvement of the legislation so that it favored the development of truly independent press. Among our successes, we can mention the support we provided to the local print media outlets in the period. With our help, these organizations managed to assert themselves on the media market,” said the executive director of the API. Among other accomplishments are the promotion of legislative initiatives that favor the development of the press, such as the Law on the Denationalization of the Public Periodic Press and the creation and strengthening of the Press Council that is a self-regulatory journalistic body. The Association of Independent Press was founded on September 29, 1997 by representatives of the first independent newspapers and news agencies of Moldova. In 2009, the API and another five media and human rights associations created the Press Council as a self-regulatory journalistic mechanism that examines complains about the editorial work of media outlets from consumers.