Independent assessment of the progress of the first 2012-2013 OGPA implementation in Moldova
Since Moldova joined the Open Government Partnership two years ago, the implementation of the Open Government Action Plan (OGAP) has been average, with around 53% of the actions being completed. The results are presented in two independent reports (“Evaluation report of Moldova Open Government Action Plan implementation 2012-2013” and “Assessing the Opening of Public Government Data in 2013”) developed by the Association for Participatory Democracy and the Centre for Independent Journalism in a joint project launched on the initiative and with the financial support of the Soros Foundation-Moldova. The evaluation reports assess the degree of the achievement of the planned activities and commitments that Republic of Moldova undertook within the OGP and covers the entire period of 2012-2013.
The main conclusion is that despite certain progress achieved in the implementation of the Moldovan OGAP 2012 – 2013, the process of open government implementation was difficult. The main causes of an average achievement of the Plan were insufficient mechanisms for monitoring and controlling the implementation of the planned activities, insufficiently trained human resources in ministries as well as ministries’ partial awareness of the importance of Open Government Initiative.
Among the main achievements, are the adoption of the Law on the re-use of public information; regular publication of information regarding state budget execution; launching the platform of data management on external assistance offered to Moldova; development and launch of the Electronic Information System “State Register of Public Procurement”. Of particular importance is the continuing digitization of public services – a total of 88 e-services are available on the website servicii.gov.md (in 2014), and the approval of the RegulationGovernment reformers are developing regulations that enshrine values of transparency, participation, and accountability in government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or reforming ... on organization and operation of AIS “Register of civil service and civil servants.”
Despite of this progress during the reporting period, the Moldovan Government still has difficulties in ensuring a participatory decision-making process, increasing transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More in governance and improving the quality of public services delivery. The analysis of OGAP implementation in Moldova shows that the sub-actions involving various organizational actions (e.g.: trainings, data publication, etc.) were implemented in a higher proportion. The same was observed in the implementation of technological measures (e.g.: implementation of information systems, digitization of public services, etc.). The sub-actions providing for the amendment of the legal framework (development and approval of regulatory or legislative acts), were performed to a lesser extent. In fact, most of the sub-actions that remained unfulfilled at the end of the implementation period were related to the adoption of laws and regulations.
The plenary implementation of organizational measures and technological solutions and lower achievement of legislative measures shows the existence of discrepancies in the degree of commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... assumed by different state institutions involved in the process of establishing an open government in Moldova.
In what regards the process of opening public data, of the 41 ministries and central authorities present on the Governmental portal http://www.date.gov.md, only 14 (34%) opened new datasets from June to December 2013. Overall, during the reporting period, 90 new datasets were opened, most of them (16) by the Licensing Chamber. In the absence of disciplinary or other penalties, many of the ministries and public institutions simply ignore government directives and decisions to identify datasets of interest for citizens and businesses and to post them monthly on http://www.date.gov.md.
