Open Records Laws › Moldova

Moldova

Law No. 148 of 9 June 2023 on Access to Information of Public Interest

Law No. 148 of 9 June 2023 on Access to Information of Public Interest (replacing Law No. 982/2000)

RTI Rating: 93 (source)

Response Timeline

Initial Response
10 days
Extension
7 days

10 calendar days for standard requests, extendable by 7 calendar days. Media requests: 5 working days, extendable by 5 working days.

How to Submit a Request

Accepted Methods

  • {'notes': 'Electronic submission', 'method': 'email'}
  • {'notes': 'Written request by post', 'method': 'mail'}
  • {'notes': 'Written request submitted in person', 'method': 'in_person'}
  • {'notes': 'Verbal requests in person or by phone', 'method': 'oral'}

Signature is no longer mandatory under Law 148/2023. Implements the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (Tromso Convention). Replaced Law 982/2000.

Required Elements

  • Description of information requested

Optional Elements

  • Applicant name
  • Contact information
  • Preferred format for response

Fees

Viewing documents on-site is free. Reasonable fees may be charged for photocopying, transcribing, translating, or delivering documents. Law 148/2023 introduced clearer rules on fee imposition.

Exemptions

  • State Secrets
    Information classified as state secrets under secrecy legislation
  • Military Information
    Information related to military operations and capabilities
  • Intelligence Information
    Information related to intelligence services and operations
  • Economic Security
    Information on economic security matters
  • Foreign Policy
    Information on foreign policy or international relations
  • Criminal Proceedings
    Information on ongoing criminal investigations or proceedings
  • Ongoing Lawsuit
    Information concerning pending litigation or administrative proceedings
  • Personal Data
    Personal information protected under data protection laws
  • Confidential Business Data
    Commercial secrets and confidential business information
  • Preliminary Research Results
    Preliminary results of scientific/technical research not yet published

Law 148/2023 maintains a catalogue of legitimate restrictions based on proportional limitations including public safety, international relations, crime prevention, personal data, intellectual property, and commercial secrets. Implementation has been problematic with officials imposing exorbitant fees to obstruct access.

Appeal Process

1

1

2

2

Law 148/2023 removed the internal administrative appeal and limits judicial review to 3-month maximum. Dual penalty structure: fines on individual officials and organizational fines on providers. ~100 contravention fines issued annually but ~25% overturned by courts.

Sources & References