Chisinau, September 24th 2012 – During the 9th edition of The Right to Know Days, Stela Mocanu, executive director of the E-Government Center of Moldova won the 2012 "Bronze Bell" prize, for consistency and courage in promoting the access to information, annually awarded by the "Acces-Info" Center.

This is so far the first award received by the E-Government Center's Team for its efforts to make the Government activities more transparent, to improve the relationship between citizen and authorities, using informational technologies.

"We believe that Moldovan citizens have an opportunity they hadn't before. There is no more need for them to wait for someone to provide information, there is no need to wait 30 days for a response from government's ministries, they can obtain information both in printed and social media", said Stela Mocanu.

The director of the E-Gorvernment Center thinks that the authorities should act non-traditional in their relation with the citizens, that is using informational technologies and promoting virtual space communication:

"Over 230,000 Moldovans are on social networks. They want something else from life in their country, from their Government and from their neighbors. We have the obligation to think about the youth who will be the future of this country in 10-15 years. We should think how to provide them this future, including by offering access to relevant information for them as citizens of this country", explained Stela Mocanu.

According to Stela Mocanu, through E-Government Center's activities and initiatives the communication gap between citizens and ministries can be reduced.

E-Government Center is a public institution established in august 2010 by the Government for Moldovan citizens to receive non-stop information and public services and the authorities to ensure transparency of governance using and promoting informational technologies in the public sector.

E-Government Centre is responsible for developing and implementing e-transformation agenda which includes, among others, E-Government national development platform and national electronic system, creating digital services and increasing the access to digital public services.

E-Government Centre is operating in accordance with the best international practices in partnership with the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the private sector, the civil society and the public servants from Moldova.