{"id":13718,"date":"2026-05-04T09:41:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T06:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/memoriul-privind-libertatea-presei-subliniaza-intensificarea-presiunilor-asupra-jurnalistilor-din-republica-moldova\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T14:56:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T11:56:53","slug":"memoriul-privind-libertatea-presei-subliniaza-intensificarea-presiunilor-asupra-jurnalistilor-din-republica-moldova","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/memoriul-privind-libertatea-presei-subliniaza-intensificarea-presiunilor-asupra-jurnalistilor-din-republica-moldova\/","title":{"rendered":"The Memorandum on Press Freedom Highlights the Intensifying Pressure on Journalists in the Republic of Moldova"},"content":{"rendered":"

The media in the Republic of Moldova continues to face serious challenges, and working conditions and safety for journalists have deteriorated over the past year, despite some specific legislative developments and institutional measures adopted in certain areas.<\/b> These conclusions are outlined in the<\/strong> Report<\/b><\/a> on press freedom in the Republic of Moldova for the period May 3, 2025 \u2013 May 3, 2026, prepared by the Center for Independent Journalism (CJI) in collaboration with eight other media organizations. The document was released on World Press Freedom Day.<\/b><\/p>\n

The report analyzes the main developments, as well as setbacks in the media sector, including in the areas of journalist safety, the legislative framework, information security, and economic sustainability. According to the authors, the safety of journalists has deteriorated significantly, with an increase in public assaults, online harassment, and intimidation, particularly in the context of reporting on sensitive political issues. Data show that in 2025, 97 attacks on media representatives were documented, the highest number recorded since monitoring began in 2017.<\/p>\n

According to the report, problems persist regarding access to information and court proceedings, with journalists reporting cases of restrictions on participation in public hearings of major interest. In Gagauzia, the independent press remains subject to pressure from local authorities, and in the Transnistrian region, journalistic activity remains vulnerable, including due to initiatives to sanction<\/a> unaccredited reporters, announced on March 31, 2025, by authorities in Tiraspol.<\/p>\n

During the period under review, there were some developments in the legislative sphere, including the amendment<\/a>, in July 2025, of the Code on Audiovisual Media Services<\/a>, through the partial incorporation of certain safeguards from the European Media Freedom Act<\/a> and the strengthening of the independence of the Audiovisual Council and the public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova. At the same time, regulations for video-sharing platforms were introduced, and the amendments made<\/a> to the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code, intended to strengthen the protection of journalists, entered into force in 2026.<\/p>\n

However, the authors point out that these measures do not address the underlying issues: \u201cMoldova lacks a coherent legal framework for print and online media, and media ownership transparency in the digital environment remains insufficiently regulated,\u201d the report states.<\/p>\n

According to experts, further reforms are needed, including regarding media ownership transparency and the protection of journalists, and simply registering a new draft media law<\/a> is not enough; its content and alignment with European standards will be decisive.<\/p>\n

At the same time, another vulnerability remains the lack of an effective anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) mechanism to protect journalists from abusive lawsuits and difficulties in accessing information of public interest. Journalists continue to report delayed responses, unjustified refusals, and inconsistent application of the law, especially at the local level.<\/p>\n

The report also highlights deficiencies in the information space, particularly in the electoral context. The 2025 parliamentary elections were marked by massive disinformation, manipulation, and propaganda campaigns, including through the use of artificial intelligence and coordinated networks of accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, and TikTok. At the same time, the authorities\u2019 response to these phenomena has sparked controversy, drawing criticism for the lack of sufficient procedural safeguards regarding the blocking of online content.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the economic situation of media institutions remains fragile. The advertising market is underdeveloped, and a large portion of online advertising revenue is absorbed by global technology platforms. The independent press continues to depend on external funding, and the suspension<\/a> of U.S. funding in early 2025 significantly affected the operations of several newsrooms.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAt the same time, some public support mechanisms, such as the Media Subsidy Fund and the Law on State Advertising, effective as of January 1, 2026, have begun to take effect. However, controversies regarding the implementation of these mechanisms and their impartiality have not subsided,\u201d the authors note.<\/p>\n

The signatory organizations urge the authorities to take firm measures to protect freedom of expression and strengthen the independent press. Key recommendations include the effective enforcement of legislation protecting journalists and the swift punishment of assaults and harassment, clear responses to pressure exerted on the press in Gagauzia and the Transnistrian region, as well as ensuring journalists\u2019 access to court hearings. At the same time, the report calls for the adoption of a new media law that would coherently regulate both print and online media, including transparency of ownership, the implementation of anti-SLAPP standards, and improved access to information of public interest.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the authors recommend combating disinformation through transparent and proportionate measures, strengthening the resilience of the information space by supporting credible media and promoting media literacy, as well as monitoring respect for pluralism during election periods.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the report proposes establishing transparent support mechanisms for the independent press, evaluating the public broadcaster\u2019s advertising regime, and supporting investments in media product development, digital security, and the ongoing professional training of journalists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The media in the Republic of Moldova continues to face serious challenges, and working conditions and safety for journalists have deteriorated over the past year, despite some specific legislative developments and institutional measures adopted in certain areas. These conclusions are outlined in the Report on press freedom in the Republic of Moldova for the period …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13605,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[112],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12.png",1708,968,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-300x170.png",300,170,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-768x435.png",768,435,true],"large":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-1024x580.png",1024,580,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-1536x871.png",1536,871,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12.png",1708,968,false],"jannah-image-small":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-220x150.png",220,150,true],"jannah-image-large":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-390x220.png",390,220,true],"jannah-image-post":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-780x470.png",780,470,true],"awsm_team":["https:\/\/media-azi.md\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-09.37.12-500x500.png",500,500,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Victoria Dodon","author_link":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/author\/vdodon\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The media in the Republic of Moldova continues to face serious challenges, and working conditions and safety for journalists have deteriorated over the past year, despite some specific legislative developments and institutional measures adopted in certain areas. These conclusions are outlined in the Report on press freedom in the Republic of Moldova for the period…","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13718"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13722,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13718\/revisions\/13722"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/media-azi.md\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}