Citizens are only entitled to public information made available with the consent of the administration. In order to improve communication, most institutions are equipped with websites but do not keep them updated, some of them lagging behind by as much as two years. The official gazette, whose print run is far from meeting the real needs of its potential readership, appears at irregular intervals and is sometimes incomplete. Institutional publications have a very restricted circulation and their content is mostly straightforward propaganda. More than once, the top leaders of the country have declared their intention to hold regular, even weekly press conferences – but this has never happened. Sometimes the authorities even remain silent on topics that directly concern citizens, even though the constitution gives everyone the right to information (art. 11), in other words, the right to be informed and the right to access the information they need. Until now, no law has spelt out how this right of access to information is to be enforced and exercised. This legal void may be filled by the provisions of the new communication law, should it be adopted. The draft gives the public the right to information and envisages the adoption of a specific law on access to public sources of information as a requirement of democracy. It stipulates that everyone be given support, both public and private, in exercising that right (art. 14) and that nobody may be impeded or forbidden to have access to sources of information nor be obstructed in any way in the regular practice of their mission as a communicator (art. 16). Journalists will have free access to all sources of information and the right to search for information regarding facts of public interest. Within the framework of current policies on good governance and strengthening the constitutional state, the moment has come to legislate on the issue. The status quo will only keep the population ignorant, excluding them from all debates. Moreover, true democracy is not possible without free access to public information. SCORES: Individual scores: 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1 Average score: 1.6 1.7 Civil society in general, and media lobby groups actively advance the cause of media freedom. ANALYSIS: Defending freedom of expression in general and media freedom in particular, is far from being a priority in civil society which, apparently, is at times even hostile towards the press. And the multitude of journalists associations - there are more than fifteen – have been unable to constitute themselves as effective pressure groups. Even though they are the first to suffer from violations of media freedom, they often remain invisible and silent regarding problems of their profession. Over the last years and months, journalists of the private and public press have become victims of retribution 28