Investigative reporting trainees get awards

11.04.2008 05:24
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2 minute(s)

Anastasia Nani, Iulia Buzenco and Victor Gotisan are Moldovan journalists who have performed the best three investigative reports within the training course titled “Promoting and developing investigative journalism in combating corruption.” The diplomas, prizes and participation certificates were conferred on Friday, April 11, at a roundtable, Info-Prim Neo reports. During the 4-month courses, 11 young reporters have been intensely trained and produced investigative reports unveiling corruption acts, public money laundering, bribing officials and public servants. The participants have been guided by two trainers – Alina Radu, the director of Ziarul de Garda and Vitalie Dogaru, the academic coordinator of the Advanced Journalism School. The trainees have also been assisted by local and foreign lawyers and experts. The roundtable participants agreed the investigative journalism in Moldova was still developing. In addition, they pointed out it is very difficult to make an ample investigation, since the access to information is restricted and there is an obvious reluctance on behalf of officials when journalists request the information they need concerning the work of the Parliament, of the Government or other state agencies. Petru Macovei, the director of the Independent Press Association (IPA), has said the course is welcome and it could encourage other reporters to perform well-documented investigations in the future. Drusilla Menaker, a senior media consultant of IREX, has saluted the reporters’ will and audacity and has encouraged them to persevere in investigating. According to her, the more journalists perform journalistic investigations, the more acts of corruption will be unveiled. The intensive investigation project has been organized by IREX, seeking to strengthen the monitoring and advocacy abilities of Moldovan NGOs to prevent and combat corruption. The program is managed by the USAID within the Threshold Program for Moldova of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.