Press in Moldova is freer than in July 2009

The mass media in Moldova witnessed a serious decline before the early parliamentary elections of July 29, 2009, but after the Alliance for European Integration came to power, the problems faced by the press started to be tackled, it is said in a report on the freedom of the press in Moldova that covers the period between May 3, 2009 and May 3, 2010, Info-Prim Neo reports. The report was prepared by a number of media organizations and presented on the World Press Freedom Day that is marked on May 3. Nadine Gogu, executive director of the Independent Journalism Center, said May 3 is an occasion for speaking about state of the press, the courage of the journalists who work in risky conditions. She said that a number of cases of abuse again journalists had been reported before July 29, 2009. “The situation has improved since last autumn. The Broadcasting Coordination Council (BCC) works as it should have worked eight years ago. We hope the next year we will be able to say that the situation became better,” Nadine Gogu said. Vasile State, an expert of the Electronic Press Association (APEL), said the situation in the broadcasting sector is not the best. “The Broadcasting Code was adopted over three years ago. Despite the authors' optimism, no serious changes took place. The BCC continues to work according to interests,” the expert said. According to him, a better legislation in the field may change things. APEL will propose a bill with amendments to the Broadcasting Code. Petru Macovei, executive director of the Independent Press Association (API), spoke about the dangerous conditions in winch the journalists of the world work. He said that 99 journalists were killed in 2009, while 573 were arrested. “These data should worry us even if no such cases happened in our country,” Petru Macovei said. He also said that according to the international organization “Reporters Without Borders”, last year Moldova ranked 114th of 175 countries by the freedom of the press. “It is the poorest result for us since the rankings have been compiled,” Macovei said. The report on the freedom of the press in Moldova also refers to the freelance journalist Ernest Vardanyan, who was arrested in Tiraspol last month. “Ernest Vardanyan's arrest is a shame for Europe as well. Though Russia is responsible for the Transnistrian regime, we, the Moldovan journalists, will protest on the Press Freedom Day,” said Valeriu Saharneanu, the head of the Union of Journalists of Moldova. Events dedicated to the Press Freedom Day will take place in Moldova during May 3-7. A flashmob meeting was held in the morning by the Young Journalist's Center of Moldova. It was followed by a solidarity meeting themed “Moldovan journalists in front of new challenges.”