The authorities need to provide more efficient protection of journalists against intimidation and attacks and to improve the legal framework on ensuring media ownership transparency. Additionally, the activity of the Council of the Press has to be improved. These are the conclusions from the first independent monitoring report on the progress of the Republic of Moldova in implementing the recommendations of the European Commission in the context of the process of its accession to the European Union. The document was launched this week in Chisinau and published on Thursday, July 25.
The report assesses the reforms implemented by the Chisinau government from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. As to freedom of expression, among other things, the authors claim that journalistic activity is insufficiently protected from attacks, physical threats, online intimidation, and several such cases were registered during the reporting period, including in Gagauzia and Tiraspol.
“Journalists keep complaining about some politicians’ and local and central authority representatives’ intimidating and aggressive behavior: they refuse to answer their questions, insult media representatives, and use obscene language. While covering mass protests or marches, journalists often face verbal and physical abuse from their participants. Some journalists’ rights to free movement and access to the Transnistrian region are still restricted, and in the Gagauz autonomy, independent media representatives are intimidated both by the local authorities and by their supporters,” according to the document.
On the other hand, “during the reporting period, no amendments to the legislation were made for extending the requirements for ensuring transparency of ownership regarding print and online media. During the first months of 2024, discussions on these topics were initiated, including by the Joint Working Group for Improving the Legal Framework which is in charge of regulating the media, but they show no progress so far and have not resulted in any specific activities.” The experts warn that the lack of transparency of ownership is a threat to media pluralism and results in decreased media accountability to consumers, and many portals are being used by shadow owners, including politicians, for disinformation and propaganda.
In addition, the professional self-regulatory tools need to be improved. In spite of the fact that, during this period, certain developments have been registered in this segment, the Council of the Press needs to be improved, the Deontological Code needs to be amended, and many media outlets, especially the online ones, still have gross ethical breaches and apply no internal ethical codes or guidelines for their newsrooms.
Due to the gaps identified, the experts have provided a set of recommendations for the authorities and the media community.
The first independent monitoring report in the context of the process of accession to the European Union assesses the dynamics of the reforms implemented by the Chisinau government and referring to the fundamental stages of the EU accession process. The topics and issues monitored in the report are democracy, the public administration reform, the justice reform, countering corruption, fundamental rights and freedom of expression, safety, the existence of a functional market economy, public acquisitions, statistics, financial control, social policies, and employment.