Monthly Bulletin, June 2024
Seven media non-governmental organizations, including the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), the Independent Press Association and the Electronic Press Association expressed their concern over the detention of journalist Timofei Ylyushin, of the independent Russian publication SOTAvision, by separatist forces in Tiraspol. Ylyushin was detained on June 24 while he was in the Transnistrian region to report on human rights violations. In a joint statement, the seven signatory organizations condemned the abusive and illegal actions of the Tiraspol separatist forces against local and foreign journalists. They called on the constitutional authorities to intervene without delay to ensure the protection of human rights and freedom of the press in the territory of the Republic of Moldova on the left bank of the Dniester. |
The local authorities of Gagauzia have voted in a first reading of a draft law establishing a “parallel” mechanism for licensing the audiovisual media activity in the region, which is the exclusive competence of the Audiovisual Council. The draft law creates a new licensing procedure for TV and radio stations in the region, in which they must acquire a permit called Izin from the General Directorate of Construction and Infrastructure of UTAG, for a fee. The cost of the fee for this license would be approved annually. The amendments approved by the legislative body of the UTAG also contain other interventions on the functioning mechanisms of the regional public media service provider Gagauziya Radio Television (GRT), such as the introduction of a procedure for annual evaluation of the work of employees by a “special commission”, which would include a member of the local legislative body. |
In a joint statement, eight media NGOs, including the Independent Journalism Center, vehemently condemned attempts by the Executive Committee and the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia to undermine press freedom in the region. The statement is a reaction to the fact that the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia approved, in the first reading, a package of amendments to a local law regulating the work of the audiovisual media. The authors of the statement draw attention to the fact that the only authority vested by law to decide on the granting of licenses for the broadcasting of a particular audiovisual media service is the Audiovisual Council. The establishment of parallel authorization mechanisms, such as Izin, by the UTAG authorities is an attempt to circumvent the existing authorization regime and contravenes state legislation as well as international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party. The signatory NGOs call for the immediate withdrawal of the legislative initiative, which, according to them, flagrantly contravenes the legislation of the Republic of Moldova. |
Chair of the Audiovisual Council (AC) Liliana Vitu described the vote in Comrat on the “parallel” licensing mechanism for TV and radio stations as an “attempt to circumvent the Audiovisual Media Services Code and the decisions of national courts.” Vitu also told the portal of the IJC, Media Azi, that as soon as the draft law was back on the agenda of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, the institution informed the Government, which has a representative in the territory, the relevant committees of the Parliament, the Presidency, the Intelligence and Security Service and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Vitu warned of the risks of the initiative. According to her, the replacement of the broadcasting license with the so-called Izin permit, on the basis of which audiovisual media service providers in the UTAG will be able to operate, creates the imminent risk of the emergence (or continuation of activity) of television and radio broadcasting services placed outside the legal field. |
In a recent interview for Media Azi, the head of the representative office of the Ombudsman’s Office in Comrat, Svetlana Mironova, discussed to the state of the press in the Gagauz autonomy and the situation at the regional public television broadcaster GRT. The Ombudsman drew attention to the pressure on the media from the authorities. Svetlana Mironova also referred to the new legislative initiative known as the “Izin” mechanism. In her opinion, this Izin has appeared only to allow cable operators to continue their work. At the same time, she believes that the draft presented was not properly prepared and that many of its provisions violated the Access to Information Act. Its aim was to control all media sources in the region. “Instead of lobbying through the parliamentary group for the development of appropriate mechanisms that would give a chance to cable operators, this attempt at control was made,” Mironova said. |
The Omniapres.md website headlined on June 26: “Ilan Shor: $21.58 million promised for “accelerated accession” to the EU, but ordinary citizens will get nothing”. The article quotes a post signed by Ilan Shor on his Telegram page. The IJC portal Mediacritica.md reports that the text does not comply with deontological norms, as it is unbalanced, written from a single source and the information is not verified. Contacted by Mediacritica to comment on the appearance of this false information in the press, Iulian Groza, executive director of the Institute for European Policy and Reform, explained that the more than 20 million euros announced by the Danish Foreign Minister represent the contribution of this country to support Ukraine and Moldova in the process of EU accession. The expert argues that the article represents “a gross manipulation, which is part of the series of falsehoods distributed by Shor and members of his group in the information space in our country, being part of their disinformation campaign. |
President Maia Sandu’s signing on June 21 of the decree on the opening of negotiations on Moldova’s accession to the European Union served as a new pretext to misinform citizens and promote anti-EU narratives. On June 21 the Kp.md website clone published an article with the following headline: “Because we deserve it: 14 “achievements” of PAS for which Moldova will be accepted into the European Union”. The Mediacritica.md portal notes that the authors manipulate the “achievements” of PAS, in fact listing several alleged failures of the government and repeating messages directed against the government and the EU. Earlier, Mediacritica also reported about other press materials promoting anti-EU narratives. Such is the case, for example, with the false claim that Moldova “will face a flow of migrants from Africa and the Middle East”. The political commentator Ion Tabarta claimed that “the falsehoods about migrants are launched by Russian polit-technologists, who are trying to exploit the migrant problem existing in the European Union, manipulate on its account and provoke certain phobias towards foreigners in Moldovan society”. Watchdog public policy expert Andrei Curararu explained to Mediacritica that such messages “are used to influence public opinion against the course of European integration and the associated referendum. |
The Mejdurecie.md website published on June 14 a news item headlined “Medvedev: Maia Sandu is leading the country ‘straight to neocolonial slavery'”. The Mediacritica portal points out that the article violates professional ethics and is “a common Russian propaganda narrative”. The article focuses exclusively on statements by Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev that “the most likely scenario of European integration for Moldova could be its transformation into Romania’s north-eastern periphery”. Asked by the IJC Mediacritica portal, the political commentator Ion Tabarta claims that “the message is a way of Russian propaganda to feed certain clichés existing in Moldovan society since the Soviet period, with the aim of keeping part of the Moldovan population in its ideological and geopolitical sphere of influence”. |
The Kp.md website clone published on June 21 an article with the headline: “In Moldova, due to the Sandu-PAS policy, there is a serious shortage of doctors: doctors are leaving for Romania – there they are paid better, while civil servants are being treated abroad”. According to the Mediacritica.md portal, the article violates several principles of professional ethics, such as the lack of clear and identifiable sources and the mixing facts with opinions. However, the accusations are not backed up by evidence that would prove the link, and there is no reply from those concerned. The portal recalls that according to the Journalist’s Code of Ethics, at least two independent sources must verify the information before it is published. |
The Moldovan Defense Ministry informed in a Facebook post about fake news spread on Telegram channels referring to a French magazine, according to which 500 French soldiers are allegedly deployed in the Republic of Moldova. “It is disinformation of a provocative and manipulative character. The Defense Ministry appeals to citizens to get information only from official and credible sources,” the post reads. This fake news is also circulating on Facebook. A user, who later deleted the post, wrote on June 13 that “the French magazine Marianne wrote in the edition that came out on newsstands today that after the signing of the defense agreement between Moldova and France in March, a battalion of about 500 French soldiers has already arrived in Moldova. |
Bas TV from Basarabeasca is ceasing its activity after applying for the withdrawal of its broadcasting license. The request was unanimously accepted by the members of the Audiovisual Council (AC) at a meeting on June 7. LV-TOPAL, the owner of the TV channel which has been broadcasting for 26 years, submitted the application to the AC on May 23, citing financial and technical reasons for not being able to continue its activity. The station’s director Ludmila Topal told the Media Azi portal: “It would have been difficult for us to produce more content with the current editorial staff, and it was not possible to expand the editorial staff.” According to her, the Bas TV newsroom will continue its work online. |
The Press Council of the Republic of Moldova, which is the national self-regulatory structure for media organizations and journalists, has new membership and a new leadership. Journalist Viorica Zaharia was re-elected to head the organization at the first meeting of the new Council on 17 June. For the next two years, the Council of Experts and Experts will be composed of nine people, selected in an open competition. Five of them are representatives from the journalistic world: Viorica Zaharia, proposed by the Association of Independent Press; Valeria Batereanu (Diez.md); Mariana Colun, proposed by the Media-Guard Association; Sergiu Niculita, (Alternative Media Association) and Olga Stavila, proposed by the Center for Journalistic Investigations. Four others are representatives of media consumers: Natalia Porubin, proposed by a group of ten media consumers; Ludmila Andronic (Association of Foreign Investors), Daniel Goinic (Legal Resource Center), and Irina Gusan (Information and Documentation Center on Children’s Rights). Since March 15, the Press Council has been operating on the basis of a new regulation adopted by the General Assembly of the Public Association “Press Council of the Republic of Moldova”. |
Media Legislation |
On June 26 the government approved a draft law aimed at regulating the procedure for blocking users’ access to websites containing certain types of dangerous content. The initiative, which has not yet become law (it has yet to be examined and approved by Parliament), involves a series of amendments to the law on preventing and combating cybercrime. According to the cji.md website, as currently drafted, the amendments do not have the potential to jeopardize the work of the press through abusive, illegal and unjustified restrictions. The Government’s initiative “targets” only websites intended and used for the preparation or commission of crimes. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) would decide whether to block access to websites or to remove online content at source. Access to websites containing such information could be blocked for 30 days, with the possibility of an extension, but not more than 90 days. According to the concept of the legislative initiative, aggrieved persons will have the possibility to challenge the order from the MAI or SIS directly in court. And magistrates would hear the complaint within just 15 days. |
IJC Updates |
Several people of different ages tell their stories and life experiences in videos produced by the IJC as part of the “Inclusion starts with me” campaign. Ludmila Adamciuc is a civic activist and mother of a girl diagnosed with Down Syndrome, and Mariana TIbulac-Ciobanu, is a journalist and research scientist. Victor Babcinetchi, an 18-year-old, is in his second term as president of the Youth District Council of Soldanesti, and Larisa and Ion Chirilenco, a husband and wife from Cazangic, Leova, are volunteers and help the lonely and the immobilized. Felicia Bludoi, from Comrat, is a student at two faculties but also has two jobs and is a role model for young Roma people. Valeriu Caldararu, executive director of the National Association of Community Mediators, is a promoter of inclusion and human rights, who recommends us to be better and more tolerant towards the Roma community. The videos were produced in the framework of the campaign “Inclusion starts with me”, which aims to contribute to reducing stereotypes about socially vulnerable and marginalized groups and to improving society’s attitude towards them, thus increasing the chances for a more inclusive society. The campaingn is organized in the framework of the project “Promoting Social Cohesion in Moldova by Fostering Inclusion and Diminishing Discrimination” carried out by the Independent Journalism Center in the framework of the program “Joint Equal Opportunities Initiative – Phase II”, implemented with the support of the Government of Switzerland. |
The Inter-Ministerial Plan for the Integration of Information and Media Literacy (IML) actions, a document developed by the IJC, gives an active role to libraries and librarians in the Republic of Moldova in the field of media literacy. According to the Ministry of Culture, so far, 60 public libraries in all districts of the country have institutionalized the media education service. Meanwhile, the Association of Librarians of the Republic of Moldova (ABRM) continues to train librarians who organize media education activities in their communities. Victoria Vasilica, coordinator of management and institutional development within the organization, told the Mediacritica portal that “media literacy of citizens has become a strategic priority for ABRM”. In May 2023, with International Media Support (IMS), the IJC presented the draft National Program for Information and Media Literacy (IML), which proposed a roadmap of priority actions that the Republic of Moldova should have undertaken in the field of IML and digital. Following discussions with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research, it was proposed to restructure this program into an inter-ministerial plan under the coordination of the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Culture. The document was approved by the two ministries on May 17, 2024. The material is published as part of the campaign to promote the inter-ministerial plan for the integration of information and media literacy actions, carried out in the framework of the project “„READ – Responding, Expanding and Acting on Disinformation” ), implemented jointly by International Media Support (IMS) and the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), with the financial support of the European Union. |
The IJC has announced a new media education training program for primary school teachers. The training is scheduled for July 5-7, 2024, and is based on the curriculum for the optional course Media Education for Primary School, developed by the IJC and approved by the National Curriculum Council. The aim of the activity is to improve the media competences of teachers so that they can subsequently promote critical thinking among pupils by teaching the optional subject Media Education at the primary level in school. Loretta Handrabura and Natalia Griu will be the trainers. The workshop is organized in the framework of the „READ – Responding, Expanding and Acting on Disinformation” project, jointly implemented by International Media Support (IMS) from Denmark and the Independent Journalism Center (IJC), with financial support from the European Union. |
IJC and Internews Updates |
Twenty-five high school students from Falesti, Orhei, Anenii Noi and Comrat, together with their teachers, learned how to create content for the media literacy camp “TikTok Camp: Explore. Analyze. Create”, how to create video content for the TikTok platform to promote critical thinking. The camp was organized by the IJC and was held in Vadul lui Voda from June 13-16, 2024. Together with media literacy expert Natalia Griu, students explored various topics to understand how important media literacy is in the 21st century. Ecaterina Buruiana, in charge of the TikTok account of the Moldova.org editorial staff, shared her experience in developing the TikTok account of Moldova.org, which today has 51 thousand users and an average of 700 thousand views per month. Among the guests were the authors of the ZeroDoi project, Catalin Lungu and Radu Sarbei. They shared their experience of creating content for the TikTok platform, interacting with users and increasing the number of followers. Oxana Iutes, Director of Internews in Moldova, with extensive experience in journalism, spoke to the camp participants about ethics in journalism and how important it is that any content placement on social networks or TV is exclusively of public interest. The surprise guest at the camp was the singer Pasha Parfeni, who gave a guitar recital, encouraging the students to sing along with him and to film a video together for social media. The five teams participating in the camp received a microphone, which will help them to make quality videos, and board games. They were also awarded diplomas. By the end of August, the participants will create video content promoting critical thinking. At the end, each team will receive a 500-dollar prize. The media literacy camp is part of the USAID and UK funded project “Media Enabling Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova” (MEDIA-M) and implemented by Internews in Moldova, which aims to promote the development of an independent, professional media, and to create a media sector that is more resilient to political and financial pressures. |
Twenty elementary school teachers learned how to teach media literacy to third and fourth graders in a new media literacy training. The training was organized by the IJC and took place over three days (28-30 June) in Chisinau. Together with the trainers Loretta Handrabura and Natalia Griu, the content of the media education textbook for primary grades was updated and these changes were brought to the attention of teachers. The training was based on the curriculum for the optional course Media Education at primary level, developed by IJC and approved by the National Curriculum Council. Based on the curriculum, IJC has developed the Education for Media literacy textbooks in Romanian, which are offered free of charge to students and teachers. In 2023, the primary textbook was updated, taking into account new trends and changes in the field, and the training was based on the new printed textbook. The training is part of the project “Media Literacy Advancement and Support to Moldovan Media”, supported by Sweden and implemented by Internews in Moldova. The program aims to contribute to the growth of a diverse media sector. |
Freedom House Updates |
Corruption is “pervasive” in the Republic of Moldova, and there are links between certain political actors and interest-based relationships in the country. These are the findings of the Freedom in the World report by Freedom House. According to the analysis, which explores the state of the world’s democracies in 2023, our country “faces critical shortcomings in the justice and rule of law sectors, facts that are hampering the country’s democratic development”. However, the state has a competitive electoral environment and freedoms of assembly, expression and religion are largely protected. Under such conditions, Moldova scored 61 out of 100 points in the ranking, being labeled “partly free”. Freedom House finds that the Moldovan media sector is dominated by institutions affiliated to oligarchs and political parties. In this chapter our country received two out of a possible four points. “With few exceptions, nationally broadcast TV stations are owned by people affiliated to political parties. Reporters face difficulties in accessing important information of public interest and are subject to threats of legal action by politicians and other public figures,” the report says. The authors argue that freedom around the world will be put to a major test in 2024, closely linked to this year’s elections, in which more than half of the world’s population will participate. |
