Moldova has shortcomings in freedom of media, freedom of ombudsmen and in corruption fighting institutions: research

Moldova has shortcomings in freedom of media, freedom in the work of ombudsmen, in the work of the Court of Accounts and of the corruption fighting institution, shows the Global Integrity Report: 2008, which was presented on February 26 at a sitting of the Group monitoring the implementation of the National Strategy on preventing and fighting corruption, Info-Prim Neo reports. Moldova is part if the category of countries with a weak degree of integrity. Compared to 2007, in 2008, the integrity index rose 8%. In terms of adequacy of laws Moldova gathered 88%, while in terms of enforcing those law – only 48%. In terms of involving the civil society in the decision-making process in the country, Moldova recorded a hike of about 19%, while the media's freedom dropped about 13%. The authors of the research explain the slump in the media's freedom by the restricted access to public broadcasters, the small funding of printed media and the low level of trustworthiness of the information presented in the printed press. As for the development of the electoral process, Moldova has made progress. There still certain shortcomings related to limited access of the population to the information on the financing of political parties, on the by-laws on financing the political parties and the low efficiency of the state agents charged to monitor elections. Compared to 2007, Moldova gained a rather high percentage in terms of political financing, soaring from 12% in 2007 to 42% in 2008. The authors of the study find the efficiency of the work of the public administration is rather low, the index being determined by the restricted access to public information, and by the fact that the population cannot freely denounce public servants. According to the report, the independence of ombudsmen is partial in Moldova, they are still liable to be influenced, and the process of appointing them is not transparent. The same is valid for the Court of Accounts, where there is no total transparency, the institution being politically influenced. The authors consider the law fighting corruption is rather good, but the integrity index of the Economic Crimes and Corruption Combating Center is falling compared to 2007. The report shows the ordinary citizens do not have access to the ECCCC's services as yet. Global Integrity: 2008 is a research carried out in 57 countries. It does not measure the feelings about corruption, but rather assesses the mechanisms of responsibility and transparency, as they are (or are not), to prevent corruption through 300 'integrity indices'. The study is funded by the Australian Agency for International Development, the Canadian Agency for International Development, the Legatum Institute and the World Bank.