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Two events dedicated to the press at the Parliament
The march began in front of the Parliament, yet none of the MPs came out to talk with the demonstrators. MP Artur Resetnicov, whom we met on our way to the Parliament, gave a surprised look at our balloons, which had ‘Press Freedom Days’ written on them. Some of the slogans the participants chanted were: ‘Freedom to the press! No to manipulations! No to press monopolisation!’
The Executive Director of the Independent Journalism Center Nadine Gogu left a copy of the Memorandum in the Parliament’s mailbox. The police warned journalists who wanted to film this moment, that those without accreditation were not allowed to enter the building and would need to get off the stairs. ‘I expected the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Andrian Candu, to come talk to the media. I hoped we could have at least one discussion a year on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day. Unfortunately, he chose not to talk to us, which is why I left a copy of the Memorandum, that includes a year’s worth of information, in the Parliament’s mailbox. I hope Mr. Candu will receive and read it and that the authorities will take the recommendations by a number of media outlets into account’ - said Nadine Gogu.
Executive Director of the Independent Journalism Center Nadine Gogu
The Memorandum lists all the gaps in today’s media activity. Nadine Gogu went on to add: ‘As for the legal framework, we have no laws passed the final reading so far. Yes, a new Broadcasting Code passed the first reading, but we still have a long way to go until the second. We are not even sure if the Code will pass it this year’.
At the same time, according to a press release published on the Parliament’s website, an exhibition of photographers accredited at the Parliament was organised on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. Meanwhile, representatives of local press and media outlets were invited to a guided tour of the Parliament, where Speaker Andrian Candu said: ‘A free, pluralist and independent press is an essential component of any democratic society’. Participants in the Solidarity March however were waiting for Candu to meet with them as well.
Stopping by at the Presidency and the Government
The march proceeded all the way to the Presidency, as demonstrators continued to chant slogans about counteracting Russian propaganda, manipulation, misinformation and media concentration. This time the demonstrators were met by a representative who informed them that the President had left for an official business.
The photojournalist Constantin Grigorita, who had been banned from the events organised by President Dodon nearly one year ago was among the protesters as well.
Fotojurnalistul Constantin Grigoriță cu aparatul foto în fața Președinției.
Constantin Grigorita believes that freedom of the press in Moldova started degrading back in 2017, when journalists were to obtain their credentials and part of them still have yet to receive their permits.
The Government also displayed a lack of interest towards the demonstrators’ demands. As in the case of the Parliament, the participants had to leave a copy of the Memorandum in the mailbox, with no chance of talking to the Government representatives.
‘Do not serve the mafia, BCC!’
The demonstrators rallied in front of the BCC building urging the Council not to serve ‘mafia interests’. Head of the General Directorate for Licensing, Authorization, and Monitoring Lia Gutu came out to the press. She mentioned that the BCC members would most likely comment on the Memorandum during the Council’s next meeting.
Head of the General Directorate for Licensing, Authorization, and Monitoring at the BCC Lia Gutu.
Special reporter at the Association of Independent Press Lilia Zaharia: ‘We were not surprised by this ignorance. We have been facing obstacles in obtaining access to information for several years now. I’m referring to the authorities’ refusal to disclose the names of civil servants under the pretext of personal data protection. Last year they tried to conceal the names of individuals who are on trial – these instruments are very useful for journalists. The press in Moldova has seriously regressed over the last couple of years, affecting both independent media outlets and consumers, since journalists are the public’s mouthpiece.’
President of the Center for Investigative Journalism Cornelia Cozonac: ‘Unfortunately, the general state of the press has worsened. On one hand, this is because we as journalists are unable to fight for our freedom. Some of us have accepted to work in paid, party-affiliated press, monopolized press, in press that misinforms, fails to inform and doesn’t do its job. This is how we got here. Government officials feel confident, because they have their own press and can manipulate obedient journalists. They can afford to ignore information requests from reporters, which has been a major problem for these last couple of years. The access to information degraded.’
World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of importance and need to observe the freedom of speech.
