Freedom House Report 2023: The Republic of Moldova Is “Partially Free” and Has a Media Sector Dominated by Oligarchs and Politicians
In the Republic of Moldova, corruption is “pervasive,” and links between certain political figures and relations based on interests are obvious in the country. These are the findings of the Freedom in the World report by Freedom House. According to the analysis exploring the state of the world’s democracies in 2023, our country encounters “critical deficiencies in the justice sector and the rule of law all hamper democratic governance.” Nevertheless, the state has a competitive electoral environment, and freedoms of assembly, expression, and religion are mostly protected. Due to such conditions, Moldova was awarded 61 points out of 100 in the ranking and was considered “partially free.”
Freedom House considers that the Moldovan media sector is dominated by institutions affiliated with oligarchs and political parties. In this respect, our country was given two out of four possible points. “With few exceptions, nationally broadcasting television stations are owned by people affiliated with political parties. Reporters face difficulty accessing important information in the public interest and are subject to threats of legal action from politicians and other public figures,” according to the report.
The study mentions the official decision to restrict access to the content re-broadcast from the Russian Federation after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine broke out, and the Intelligence and Security Service’s decision to close dozens of websites, including those of several large-scale Russian media organizations. The document also refers to the decision of the Commission for Exceptional Situations (CEC) to suspend the licenses of several TV channels, as well as to the new mechanism according to which the Council for Promoting Investment Projects of National Importance temporarily suspended the activity of the companies which owned these channels, invoking concerns related to the state security.
The Republic of Moldova received the lowest scores for corruption and the state of things in the judicial system, and got the highest scores for the way the elections were conducted, as well as for freedom of expression of opinions and political preferences.
FREEDOM KEEPS DECLINING
In general, this year, Freedom House affirms that freedom has been globally declining for the 18th consecutive year. Political rights and civil liberties deteriorated in 52 countries, improving only in 21 states. Flawed elections and armed conflicts keep contributing to this decline, threatening freedom and resulting in severe human sufferings.
Thailand is the only country whose status has improved, shifting from the “not free” to the “partially free” category after the elections. Finland maintains its status of the freest country on the globe with a maximum score of 100 points.
The authors affirm that, in 2024, freedom will be put to the test on the global level, which is closely linked to this year’s elections which will involve more than half of the world’s population.
