The Government's decision to halt the denationalization of the newspapers “Moldova Suverana” and “Nezavisimaya Moldova” initiated in 2005 aroused controversy among politicians and opinion leaders in Chisinau. Some of them think the privatization procedure should be resumed in a transparent way, while others consider the two papers must remain public, Info-Prim Neo reports. [Liberal MP Corina Fusu], who is the chairwoman of the parliamentary commission for culture, education, research and mass media, said the two newspapers should be privatized by public auctions. “The denationalization of the two publications was a condition imposed by Iurie Rosca (the leader of the PPCD, e.n.) when he gave his vote to Voronin so that he could be elected head of state. The steps taken later were illegal. The Communists Party started to control SRL Moldova Independent that became the owner of the two papers,” Corina Fusu said. [Democrat MP Oleg Serebrian], a member of the same commission, said though the Government did not say what will happen to the two newspapers, most probably they will not remain in public ownership. “The denationalization procedure launched in 2005 was strange and left many questions unanswered. The two papers served the interests of the Communists and of Voronin. I think there will be announced a new privatization procedure,” Serebrian said. [Communist MP Inna Supac], who is also a member of the abovementioned commission, said the Government's intention is an attempt to undermine the independent press. “The two papers were denationalized several years ago at the insistence of the Council of Europe and the then Opposition. The Government's decision to stop the privatization process and the fact that the editorial staffs of the two newspapers were visited by officers of the Anticorruption Center show that Filat is establishing dictatorship. The PCRM did nothing of the kind during the eight years while in power,” Supac said. [Unaffiliated MP Victor Stepaniuc], a representative of the United Moldova Party, considers that the two publications should remain public even if the European institutions demand that Moldova liquidate the government press that is regarded as a means of propaganda. “I think the Government should not denationalize these papers and give them to private corporations. When the power changes, the papers modify their editorial policy, but anyway report on the work of a democratically-elected government,” Victor Stepaniuc said. [Petru Macovei, executive director of the Independent Press Association], welcomes the Government's decision to stop the denationalization of the two papers. “I'm sure a number of irregularities were committed in the denationalization process. In fact, there was no denationalization. After the first step, the Government should take the second step: to correctly and transparently privatize the two newspapers, by public auctions. According to the Council of Europe, the publications financed with public money should be liquidated,” Petru Macovei said. [Minister of State Victor Bodiu] said Wednesday that when the process of denationalizing the two papers is stopped, the Government's Apparatus will fulfill the functions of founder of the two publications and will modify and approve the documents concerning their work, will register them in accordance with the law and will designate administrators for them.