Ro
En
Рy20 March 2015
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Cornel CIOBANU, reporter, Radio Chișinau
Parliament resumed its meetings in the renovated building a little over two years ago. The 101 MPs enjoy modern working conditions - leather chairs, wooden furniture, electronic voting system (which they do not use). On the other hand, a space of just several tens of square meters has been left for us, the journalists, while access to the meeting room was restricted.
From the very first day the press room was called "the press fold' or 'the golden cage". At the first sight, we have access to the Internet, there are screens, there is a stand for speakers... However, current conditions are in fact worse than those at the "old" Parliament or at the Palace of the Republic. The room is too small and uncomfortable; the journalists can hardly watch what is going on on the screens. As it is so crowded, many journalists are forced to turn their backs to the screens. Moreover, we cannot watch the MPs live, and the broadcasting may stop at any time if someone decides so. In many cases the journalists do not know how the MPs voted some bills, they only learn about the final result of the voting.
Besides, we have limited access to the MPs. If one needs a comment or a statement of the MPs, they have to "keep watch" at the doors of the meeting room instead of watching the meeting. Cameramen are not allowed to shoot in the meeting room at all and photographers are given limited time at the beginning of the meeting for taking "protocol photos".
From what we know, the repair of the Parliament building cost hundreds of millions of lei, paid from the public budget. It means that every citizen of Moldova paid, so that the MPs may work in good conditions. Why then these people do not deserve to be informed accurately and promptly about the work of Parliament? Why one cannot know how the lawmakers work, what laws they adopt for the people's sake and how much effort they make to keep the promises they made during the election campaign?
From the very first day the press room was called "the press fold' or 'the golden cage". At the first sight, we have access to the Internet, there are screens, there is a stand for speakers... However, current conditions are in fact worse than those at the "old" Parliament or at the Palace of the Republic. The room is too small and uncomfortable; the journalists can hardly watch what is going on on the screens. As it is so crowded, many journalists are forced to turn their backs to the screens. Moreover, we cannot watch the MPs live, and the broadcasting may stop at any time if someone decides so. In many cases the journalists do not know how the MPs voted some bills, they only learn about the final result of the voting.
Besides, we have limited access to the MPs. If one needs a comment or a statement of the MPs, they have to "keep watch" at the doors of the meeting room instead of watching the meeting. Cameramen are not allowed to shoot in the meeting room at all and photographers are given limited time at the beginning of the meeting for taking "protocol photos".
From what we know, the repair of the Parliament building cost hundreds of millions of lei, paid from the public budget. It means that every citizen of Moldova paid, so that the MPs may work in good conditions. Why then these people do not deserve to be informed accurately and promptly about the work of Parliament? Why one cannot know how the lawmakers work, what laws they adopt for the people's sake and how much effort they make to keep the promises they made during the election campaign?
NOTE: the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) holds awareness raising events under the slogan 'We Want Access into Parliament!' on all days when Parliament holds plenary meetings. The Campaign aims to ensure free access of the media to Parliament meetings, so that the media can freely perform their duties.
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The We Want into Parliament! campaign is conducted within the Advocacy Campaigns Aimed at Improving Transparency of Media Ownership, Access to Information and Promotion of EU Values and Integration project, implemented by the IJC, which is, in its turn, part of the Moldova Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society project, implemented by FHI 360.
The We Want into Parliament! campaign is conducted within the Advocacy Campaigns Aimed at Improving Transparency of Media Ownership, Access to Information and Promotion of EU Values and Integration project, implemented by the IJC, which is, in its turn, part of the Moldova Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society project, implemented by FHI 360.
