← enter for Promotion of Freedom of Expression and Access to Information “Acces-info”

Overview regarding the activity of Center for Promotion of Freedom of Expression and Access to Information “Acces-info”:

Non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and independent organisation. Founded on 21 August 2000, registered at Ministry of Justice of Republic of Moldova on 20 September 2000, under nr. 1530.
Members of “Acces-info” Centre took part at the process of elaboration and enactment of Law on access to information (May 2000).
Three member-authors had a three weeks visit in U.S.A., where they studied the local Law implementation methods.
In the frame of one project achieved with support of U.S. Embassy in Moldova and International Republican Institute, the experts of “Acces-info” Centre and representatives of civil society elaborated the draft Law on transparency in the decision making process. This draft was approved by the Government and will be submitted as legislative initiative to Parliament.

The aim of the Centre is: the implementation of access to information, freedom of expression, institutional transparency and public involvement in the decision making process.

The objectives of the Centre are:
- promotion of legal framework and of the most important international regulations related to the access to information, freedom of expression and transparency in the decision making process;
- training of representatives of civil society, public officials, journalists, jurists etc.;
- raising public awareness;
- elaboration, publication and distribution of guides, studies, manuals on different aspects of the legislation;
- elaboration of some concept recommendations and of specific proposals in the field of access to information in order to secure the compliance of the national legal framework with international regulations;
- legal assistance and representing before courts of information requestors;
- strengthening civil society structures, development of voluntarism.

The implemented Projects:
- “Elaboration of Guide “Your right: Access to Information. Legislative micro-encyclopedia”. Printed and electronic versions. Issued in May 2002 with support of “Soros-Moldova” Foundation;
- “Popularization of Legislation in the Access to Information field”. 11 training- seminars were organized in different districts, with participation of office workers, representatives from non-governmental organizations and media, jurists (total, about 600 persons) and 1 practical-scientific conference. With support of U.S.A. Government and “Soros-Moldova” Foundation, 2001-2002;
- “Elaboration of Study “Legislation of Republic of Moldova in Media sphere. Analysis, Recommendations and Proposals”. With support of Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe and Irex ProMedia Centre (USA), 2002;
- “Programme for Promotion of Access to Information”. With support of “Soros” Foundation, 2002-2003;
- “Freedom of Information: a matter of Public Interest”. Coordinator: Article XIX, in the frame of Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe. With support of German Foreign Office; 2003-2004;
- “Mass-media and Civic Education”. With support of Press Now (Netherlands), 2004;
- “Media and Electoral Campaign”. With support of U.S. Embassy, Eurasia Foundation, International Republican Institute, 2004 –2005;
- “Securing the Protection and the Legal Assistance of Official Information Requestors”. With support of “Soros-Moldova” Foundation and Open Society Initiative (Budapest), 2004 –2006;
- “International Conference “Information with limited accessibility”, in collaboration with Council of Europe under the auspice of Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe with support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, 2005;
- “International Conference “Access by the Media to Official Information”, in collaboration with Council of Europe under the auspice of Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, 2006;
- “Promotion of Transparency in the decision-making process in Public Administration”. With support of U. S. Embassy and International Republican Institute, 20 Oct. 2005 – 20 Sept. 2006;
- Seminar on transparency in the decision making process, in collaboration with Council of Europe under the auspice of Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, 2006;
- “Conference “State and Media”, in collaboration with Council of Europe under the auspice of Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, 2006;
- “Promotion of Free Access to Information (Monitoring and Training)”. With support of “Soros-Moldova” Foundation and Open Society Initiative (Budapest), 1 February 2006 – 1 June 2007;
- “Promotion of Access to Justice of Information Requestors”. Support: Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, 2007;
- “Free Access to Information: Anticorruption Monitoring and Civic Education”. Support: Eurasia Foundation, 6.11.07 – 5.07.08;
- “Promotion of Access to Information, Institutional Transparency and Public Involvement in Decision-Making Process”. Support: “Soros-Moldova” Foundation, OSI (Budapest) 1.12.07 – 1.12.09;
- “Monitoring and gradual assessment of access to official information”. Support: AED/Moldova, 1.02.08 – 31.01.09;
- “Training Seminar for trainers on access to information”, in cooperation with Council of Europe, 27-29 May 2008
- “Justice and media: raising public awareness”. Support: Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, 1.06.08 – 30.02.09.
- “Seminar on access to information”, in cooperation with Council of Europe, 24-25 September 2008

- Conferences, trainings, seminars, roundtables, workshops at national and local levels in the field of access to justice, transparency and communication.
- Organizing and unfolding of Right to Know Week (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).
- Publications and participations in radio/TV programs.

The Center has edited:
• Collection-mycroenciclopedia “Your Right: Access to Information” that includes all provisions from Moldovan legislation (about 400 normative acts) and from international documents on access to information; 2002
• Study “Media and Legislation” (rom., engl., rus.) with 128 proposals for modification and supplement of legislation; 2003
• Guide “Application of Law on Access to Information. Practical Recommendations” designed for public institutions; 2004
• Guide “You are entitled to know. Guide for Access to Information” designed for public; 2004
• Handbook for public officials “Free Access to Information” (in collaboration with Article XIX); 2004
• Collection “Human Rights. Journalist’s Guide” (in collaboration with Press Now, Netherlands); 2005
• Collection “Parliamentary Elections. Questions and Answers. Journalist’s Guide”; 2005
• Collection “Access to Information. Regulations. Comments. Cases”; 2006
• Guide “Transparency in decision making process. Legislative aspects. Good practices”; 2006
• “Application of Law on access to information”. Monitoring Report; 2007
• Guide “Monitoring of access to information. Methodical aspects”; 2007
• Citizen’s Guide “Defend your right to information”; 2007
• Study “Normative acts: concordance with Law on access to information”; 2007
(up-to-date)
• Monitoring Report “Right to information: on paper and in reality”, 2007
The electronic versions of the above mentioned publications can be found on www.acces-info.org.md

Collection of Guides “Questions and answers”:
• “Be informed”; 2006
• “Principles of free access to information”; 2006
• “Public institutions and access to information”; 2006
• “Private data”; 2007
• “Economy and access to information”, 2008
• “Health and access to information”, 2008