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Recall that on 22 October 2020, after reviewing the first monitoring report produced by BC, which unequivocally revealed the obvious favoring of certain electoral candidates and political parties, as well as the visible violation of the law, BC resorted to a declarative measure only, which does not produce any legal effect and is outside the legal control mechanism. More precisely, the BC chairperson suggested to the authority’s members to decide by consensus to warn orally the media providers concerned.
Note that according to Article 13, paras (4),(6),(9) of the Code of Audiovisual Media Services, Article 69, paras (1) and (14) of the Electoral Code and the Regulation on media coverage of the electoral campaign for the Presidential elections of 1 November 2020 in the Republic of Moldova, approved by Decision of the Central Electoral Commission No 4151 of 1 September 2020, media providers shall:
- in newscasts, present the events in a trustworthy and unbiased manner, presenting different opinions in a balanced way;
- ensure impartiality and balance, and favor free formation of opinions by presenting the main points of view in opposition during the public debates on certain issues of public interest and of political nature;
- make sure that representatives of the power and of the opposition are features in a balanced way;
- adhere to principles of equity, responsibility, balance and impartiality when covering the elections;
- not treat preferentially any electoral candidates based on their social status or position.
It is important to state that these principles are incorporated in providers’ statements on the editorial policies on the campaign for the presidential election of 1 November 2020, approved by BC in September 2020.
Signatories of this call underscore that the biased editorial policies of national media providers, favoring certain political parties and electoral candidates, damage the public interest and fail to ensure objectivity and plurality of information — interest that is above any political, economic, trade, ideological or other kind of interests.
In this context, being aware of the importance of BC mission to contribute to the development of media services in accordance to the principles laid down in the national law, we urge the authority to carry out its supervision and control tasks in an objective and transparent manner, not allowing for other limits of normality and lawfulness than those stated by the current law,
Independent Journalism Center
Association of Electronic Press
Association of Independent Press
Association of Independent TV Journalists
‘Access-Info’ Center
Center for Investigative Journalism
RISE Moldova
