People’s Ombudsman Mihail Cotorobai highly appreciates the importance of the Media Forum that involves not only national journalists, but also foreign experts and representatives of Moldova’s development partners and of the authorities as well. The previous Media Forums proved the utility of these meetings that resulted in a final document called Roadmap. This event is an occasion for warning the public opinion and decision makers about the challenges faced by the mass media in the Republic of Moldova, IPN reports.
The ombudsman noted with regret that the list of problems remained mainly the same as the previous years. This points to lack of progress and, on particular segments, to a worse situation of the media freedom and independence in Moldova, to shortcomings in ensuring the pluralism of opinions. In the reports on the observance of human rights in the Republic of Moldova for 2015 and 2016, the ombudsman referred to the situation of media freedom and independence and freedom of expression and warned about worrisome tendencies witnessed in the sector during the last few years.
“It is mainly about the institution of monopoly on the mass media, unprecedented concentration of media outlets in broadcasting, the more noticeable influence of the political factor on the activity of the press, reduced access to information of public interest on the pretext of keeping the state secret or non-revealing of personal data. More often attempts are made to intimidate journalists, especially in the investigation of cases of corruption. Manipulating information is more often disseminated and there is unfair competition on the media market,” says the message of the people’s ombudsman.
Mihail Cotorobai makes common cause with the mass media in Moldova and supports them in their approaches made to the authorities to create a favorable environment for developing a free and independent press in the Republic of Moldova. The ombudsman reminds that the authorities haven’t yet achieved the objectives set in the mass media chapter of the Government’s action program for 2016-2018, which suggests, among others, working out the national mass media development concept with emphasis on the strengthening of pluralism and freedom of expression, adopting a new Broadcasting Code and creating a favorable framework for developing advertising.
The ombudsman calls on the authorities to implement these and other provisions on the mass media, stipulated in the Government’s action program for 2016-2018, in accordance with the European standards, and urges the politicians to give up using the press for party or personal interests.
Mihail Cotorobai also calls upon the authorities to responsibly and involvedly examine the key problems in the media sector that will be specified in the Roadmap of this year’s Media Forum of Moldova and to take real measures to solve these.
He calls on the journalist to be correct and responsible and do their job honestly, to be objective and equidistant, to obey the Professional Ethics Code, to attentively address sensitive issues related to the human rights, especially the right to private life. Mihail Cotorobai said he will continue to monitor the developments in the media sector and will take measures in accordance with his duties defined in the Law on the People’s Ombudsperson so as to ensure the respect for the freedom of expression and promote the freedom of the media.
