Media legislation expert Tatiana Puiu said the public servants are obliged to ensure the active, correct and timely informing of the people about matters of public interest and to ensure free access to information, in accordance with their duties and the legislation on access to information. On the portal of the Association of Independent Press media-azi.md, the expert commented on the refusal by public figures to take part in programs, IPN reports.

The expert noted that the participation of functionaries in TV programs would diversify the possibilities of access to information of public interest. The free flow of information is the main principle of democracy. Thus, officials’ practices of communicating with the press through the press service became constant in time, while the employees of press services are usually not well informed about all the matters of public interest and the problems in society.

“It’s definite that the (non)participation by MPs in televised interactive talk shows usually shows the (un)willingness of the elected officials. The reasons for the (un)willingness to accept the invitation to televised debates, as stated by program moderators, are the ‘inconvenient’ questions put to them,” said Tatiana Puiu.

According to her, the legal obligation to accept the invitation to take part in televised programs, to give interviews or to take part in direct debates with journalists is not stipulated by the current legislation. Consequently, it is more a moral or political obligation of the servant that this should take into account. Its denial can encourage bureaucratic behavior, abuses and corruption in public institutions.

Tatiana Puiu noted that in such circumstances, the task of the mass media to inform the people about issues of public interest cannot be carried out efficiently, the journalist being ‘forced’ to collect and spread information from third sources.