The chairman of the audiovisual media services regulator Audiovisual Council Dragoș Vicol annulled his ordinance by which the journalists were obliged to make reference only to official sources when covering subjects concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, IPN reports.

In a press release, Dragoș Vicol notes that he annulled the ordinance following the criticism it attracted from a number of journalists and nongovernmental organizations that described it as “abusive” and “that imposes censorship” so as to calm things down in society.

He said the text of the given ordinance will be proposed for debates at the next public meeting of the Audiovisual Council and assured that the Council members will take into account all the options, views, criticism and fears stated recently.

Dragoș Vicol specified that he didn’t sign the ordinate abusively and unilaterally as he consulted all the Audiovisual Council members and some of these formulated suggestions. “I regret a lot that things developed this way, in particular in the period of the state of emergency when we all, in particular the audiovisual media of the Republic of Moldova, should manage the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with deontological prudence and civic commitment and should not fuel panic in society through the audiovisual sources, by stating insufficiently substantiated opinions,” he stated.

Media nongovernmental organizations and members of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Platform expressed their concern about the order made by the chairman of the Audiovisual Council. They issued a public call, saying the order was issued with violations of the legislation. Particular provisions from this document seriously hamper the freedom of expression of the providers of audiovisual media services.