The civil society organisations express their concern about the intensification of the cases of verbal aggression and inappropriate reactions against the journalists displayed by members and supporters of the political parties who used an insulting and aggressive language in relation with the journalists in the Blogs column of certain media.

Alina Radu, director of Ziarul de Gardă, was verbally aggressed by Veaceslav Burlac, president of Criuleni Territorial Organisation of the Democratic Party, and by Ion Harghel, vice-president of the Democratic Youth, when the publication she manages tried to find out the criteria based on which the Public Broadcasting Company “Teleradio-Moldova” awarded the honorary title of “the most effective health care campaign for rural children ever held in the Republic Moldova” to “Revive Moldova/ Mobile Pediatric Cabinet” campaign conducted by “Edelweiss” Foundation of Vlad Plahotniuc.

Cornelia Cozonac, president of the Centre for Journalistic Investigations (CJIM) was verbally attacked for having published on Anticorupţie.md website an article revealing that the owner of Noroc TV station is the adviser on general issues to the Director General of “Moldova Railways” State Enterprise, Iurie Topală. The president of CJIM was intimidated by the journalist Vasile Grozavu.

It should be noted that the Law on Freedom of Expression states that no one can prohibit or hinder the mass-media from disseminating the public interest information, besides the law.

The ruling parties must admit that the media have the task to critically analyse the governance, to investigate, disclose and report the malfunctions. At the same time, the ruling parties, likewise all the political parties, should educate their members, enabling them to have civilised discussions, including with the press, without personal attacks targeted at the gender, the physical condition, the marital status or the family composition of the reporters exercising their mission.

It is worth remembering about the existence of a Press Council to which may have recourse any citizen dissatisfied with a media product, and the politicians, the members of the political parties may also refer to the Press Council, instead of committing attacks that cannot be accepted in a civilised public space.

We would like to draw attention to the fact that the messages intimidating the journalists who perform their job call into question the pro-European statements of the Democratic Party’s leaders and contravene the European values and standards. We urge the political parties to renounce the outrageous discourse and adopt a constructive, fair and equitable attitude towards the journalists and the media.

Independent Journalism Center
Independent Press Association
Electronic Press Association
Centre for Journalistic Investigations
Press Freedom Committee
Association of Independent TV journalists 
“Acces-Info” Centre
Transparency International - Moldova
East-Europe Foundation
CJI Romania
Legal Resources Centre from Moldova
IDIS – Viitorul
Convention of Media Organisation