The Freedom House organization issued its annual report on Nations in Transit. The conclusions of the chapter dedicated to Moldova are mentioned below.
On democracy Moldova scores only 5 points, the lowest result since 1999.
Moldova's national governance continues to be marked by tight presidential control over the legislature, executive and judiciary.
As far as local governance is concerned, centralization of powers remains the key issue: local authorities' dependence on central bodies for funding and access to other resources, the government's obvious support for communities led by Communists (discriminatory distribution of budgets), and government's interference with the prerogatives of local authorities
The security services still need reforming in order to come under full civilian control.
Though the local elections held in June 2007 were generally free and fair, the preceding electoral campaign was marked by shortcomings and abuses.
Freedom House notes a setback for media and press freedom. The public broadcaster Teleradio Moldova is still under excessive government influence and has made little progress towards becoming a genuine public broadcaster. Other shortcomings of the media landscape: diversity of opinion remains acutely limited owing to political pressure and economic restraints on independent newspapers.
In the field of the judiciary, Freedom House notes that independence is still not guaranteed with regard to the nomination and appointment of judges and prosecutors. Though Moldova's penitentiary system is being reformed, treatment in prisons is still degrading.
In spite of the authorities's efforts to implement a more effective legal framework to fight corruption, serious shortcomings persist. Freedom House stresses the need of a code of conduct for public officials, a law on conflict of interest and an legal act on transparency in the decision-making process.
On democracy Moldova scores only 5 points, the lowest result since 1999.
Moldova's national governance continues to be marked by tight presidential control over the legislature, executive and judiciary.
As far as local governance is concerned, centralization of powers remains the key issue: local authorities' dependence on central bodies for funding and access to other resources, the government's obvious support for communities led by Communists (discriminatory distribution of budgets), and government's interference with the prerogatives of local authorities
The security services still need reforming in order to come under full civilian control.
Though the local elections held in June 2007 were generally free and fair, the preceding electoral campaign was marked by shortcomings and abuses.
Freedom House notes a setback for media and press freedom. The public broadcaster Teleradio Moldova is still under excessive government influence and has made little progress towards becoming a genuine public broadcaster. Other shortcomings of the media landscape: diversity of opinion remains acutely limited owing to political pressure and economic restraints on independent newspapers.
In the field of the judiciary, Freedom House notes that independence is still not guaranteed with regard to the nomination and appointment of judges and prosecutors. Though Moldova's penitentiary system is being reformed, treatment in prisons is still degrading.
In spite of the authorities's efforts to implement a more effective legal framework to fight corruption, serious shortcomings persist. Freedom House stresses the need of a code of conduct for public officials, a law on conflict of interest and an legal act on transparency in the decision-making process.