Police Inspectorate in Taraclia ordered the questioning of journalists and confiscation of all materials which served as basis of an investigation about the lake in the town that became private ownership, through a dubious scheme. According to a provision that came into possession of portal Anticoruptie.md, officials wanted to know exactly who ordered the publication of the material and provided video to reporters.

The provision was issued by police, after the owner of lake in Taraclia Serghei Chiose filed a complaint claiming that the journalists of the investigation "How did a pond of state become private property" would have provoked him intentionally to a discussion about his personal life and family members, everything was recorded and filmed with a hidden camera.

In fact, the journalistic investigation revealed that Taraclia may remain without pond that protects it from floods, after the public good came into the possession of Serghei Chiose, chairman of the cooperative "Rodina Nova", by a decision of the Economic Court issued in 2011. While the mayoralty of the town tried to recover lost property and prosecutors have struggled for five years to find how this lake became private property, Chiose put the lake on sale. Reporters have discovered the whole scheme, after posing as buyers and filmed everything with a hidden camera. Subsequently, the material was published in the newspaper "Svet" and  on the local TV station NTS.

The order issued by the officer of the Police Inspectorate Taraclia shows that law enforcement investigates the case and will start a criminal case.  

Anghelina Gaidarji, author of the investigation said that 2 policemen came at the office of newspaper “Svet” on May 28 and questioned her. 

"They asked why the investigation was published namely in this newspaper and who entitled us to publish it and they were sure that someone ordered this investigation. I wrote an explanation in which I stated that this investigation was carried out on my initiative, it is an issue of public interest because the lake is a public good, and that the investigation was carried out in partnership with the Center for Investigative Journalism, after I applied for a grant. Police asked for the contract signed with CIJM and video, but I refused to give them", says the journalist. 

According to her, the officials went to her colleague from  NTS local TV station. She had to write an explanation. "I think it's a first reaction of local authorities over the first serious investigation about Taraclia. As we live in a state with high political control, they assume that there is a person who ordered this investigation, but this is not true.  No matter what, we will continue to investigate and to inform local people about what is happening in the district", says Anghelina Gaidarji.

President of CIJM Cornelia Cozonac regards the actions of the police as abuse and direct attack on press freedom.

"The actions of the representatives of police in Taraclia is a serious abuse to journalists who did their job and reveal schemes that show how the public patrimony becomes private property.  Anghelina Gaidarji  respected ethical norms when she carried out this investigation. Journalists cannot be forced by orders of police to provide to law enforcement materials that served as basis for journalistic investigation. This approach of law enforcement bodies  in district Taraclia and  the questioning of journalists is abuse and a direct attack on press freedom, thus it should be treated as such. The police must investigate the case in terms of the offense committed by people covered in the investigation, not to settle accounts with journalists who have discovered the fraudulent scheme. Center for investigative Journalism will demand relevant institutions to investigate and take attitude over this action of the  representatives of Police Inspectorate Taraclia", says Cornelia Cozonac.

Lawyer Valeriu Plesca argues that  the actions of the police is a violation of freedom of expression. "It is an unjustified interference with freedom of expression as journalistic investigation relates to public goods and public actions. The actions are made outside criminal proceedings, which arouses doubts about the legality of asking for video", said the lawyer.