Restrictions on access to information: FOI rules suspended / deadlines extended
Authorities in Moldova have tripled the amount of time public bodies have to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, from 30 days to 90, due to the coronavirus. Media have reported that requests to bodies such as the health ministry for public information have been outright refused. Journalists have criticised the disproportionate length of the extension. FOIs are a vital tool for journalists trying to cover COVID-19.