A number of media nongovernmental organizations signed a statement whereby they express their concern about the inappropriate behavior of employees of public institutions, who, on different pretexts, hamper the journalists’ access to information and intimidate these, IPN reports.

The statement says a camera crew of TV8 channel was attacked by an employee at kindergarten No. 23 in Chisinau on September 14. At kindergarten No. 81, the employees didn’t allow the crew to enter for the reason that the director was absent at that moment. The journalists intended to produce a report about the extension of repair works at ten kindergartens in Chisinau.

The media NGOs condemn such actions and remind that the Law on the Media enables the representatives of the mass media to obtain and disseminate information, to record, film and photograph.

“We call on the Ministry of Education to investigate these cases and to inform the public about the measures taken in relation to the persons who attacked the crew of TV8 and didn’t allow this to enter the two public institutions. We also call upon the managers of state institutions to obey the law and not to allow the legal rights enjoyed by the journalists when fulfilling their professional duties to be violated,” reads the statement.

The statement was signed by the Independent Journalism Center, Association of Independent Press, Electronic Press Association, Journalistic Investigations Center, “Acces-Info” Center and Committee for the Freedom of the Press.