Experts of the Association of Independent Press (API) during 12 months will assess the state of play of the fulfillment of the provisions concerning the mass media of the plan of action for implementing the Moldova – EU Association Agreement for 2014-2018 and of the Government’s work program for 2016-2018, IPN reports.

In a press release, the API says they will monitor the adjustment of the national legislation on the mass media to the EU regulations and the fulfillment by the authorities of the commitments assumed through the Association Agreement with the EU, as regards cooperation in culture, audio-visual policy and the mass media and the Mass Media chapter of the Government’s work program for 2016-2018.

The experts will also determine if the Moldovan authorities take into account the recommendations on the mass media included in the resolutions and directives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the United Nations Human Rights Council within the Universal Periodic Review.

By March 2018, the API will compile and make public four quarterly monitoring reports that will also contain recommendations intended for the authorities, for more efficiently monitoring the commitments in the mass media assumed at European level.

The monitoring is carried out within the project “Strengthening of capacities of independent mass media, promotion of the European values and standards and media campaign against false and tendentious information” that is supported by the FHI 360 program “Partnerships for Sustainable Civil Society in Moldova”.