The Media Non-Governmental Organisations Protest Against the Intimidation of the Journalist Vadim Șterbate by a Public Servant from the Ministry of Defence

A number of media NGO-s signed on Friday, 15^th of July, a statement of the Association of Independent Press (AIP), protesting against the intimidation of the journalist Vadim Șterbate, reporter of “Observatorul de Nord” newspaper of Soroca, a publication-member of the AIP, by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Alexandru Cimbriciuc. The authors of the statement requested the investigation of this case by the General Prosecutor’s Office and the punishment of the official according to the legislation.
 
After publication of the article “(De)gheretizarea orașului Soroca?” (“Removal of kiosks in the town of Soroca?”) which raised the problem of constructions that spoil the town’s appearance, including the issue of a kiosk situated in the proximity of the fortress of Soroca which belongs to Alexandru Cimbriciuc jr., the son of the Deputy Minister of Defence, Alexandru Cimbriciuc, the editorial board of “Observatorul de Nord” newspaper and its collaborators have been subject to different kinds of intimidation. Firstly, the kiosk in question was carried in front of “Observatorul de Nord” premises, and afterwards the Deputy Minister of Defence urged the military commissariat of Soroca to check if the journalist Vadim Șterbate is registered for military conscription or has studied at a military chair.

AIP qualifies these actions as an act of vengeance committed by a high-level official against the journalists who “have dared” to criticize the business activity of his family members. “Such actions cannot be tolerated in a rule of law State which declared its adherence to the European democratic values. The Republic of Moldova has no chance of democratic development, as long as dignitaries and public servants consider themselves as a special caste for which there are no laws and use their social position for their own interests and for those of their families”, the authors of the statement claim.
 
He signatories urge the Prime Minister, Pavel Filip, to take action on this extraordinary case and the acting General Prosecutor, Eduard Harunjen, to order the investigation of this case of intimidation for criticism as a result of abuse of authority admitted by Alexandru Cimbriciuc. “The resignation of Deputy Minister Cimbriciuc is an appropriate action in this situation, but the intimidation of the mass-media for criticism, including as a result of abuse of authority, is a criminal offense under Article 180¹ of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova”, the AIP statement signed by several media NGO-s specifies.
 
To note that on Thursday, 14^th of July, Alexandru Cimbriciuc resigned from his position of Deputy Minister of Defence.