What Prevents Moldovan Journalists from Performing Their Job Duties Freely? Five Answers to Just One Question.

Aneta GROSU, editor-in-chief, Ziarul de Garda
 

• Any job can be freely performed only by true professionals. Nowadays, we have too few knowledgeable journalists on Moldova. Universities keep producing batches of graduates with degrees in Journalism, but they are not ready to do the job. Yet, when the lack of proper knowledge and skills is equivalent to not having noteworthy ideas. If there are no ideas why would we need freedom of expression?
• On the other hand, those who do have ideas and expertise, who do need freedom do not have easy access to free media, as most media outlets here are the monopoly of local political gangsters. Free media outlets are few and far between; hence, there is not enough ground for freedom to settle in.
• Access to information, in particular to corruption files, remains limited.
• The journalists do not know the law well, even the Law on the Freedom of Expression, and in these circumstances self-censorship has become the malign tumor that eats from within even the most uncompromising journalists.
• When justice serves the political elite the journalists are often paralyzed by fear, as nobody can guarantee that the lawsuits against journalists, started by corrupt officials revealed by the media, will be tried in a fair lawful manner.

 
On the occasion of the Press Freedom Days, Media Azi asked several media representatives what the barriers to the journalists' performing their job duties there are in Moldova. For a week, we will use this space to publish their answers.