Journalists from Moldova plead in favor of creating a press club which would protect interests of press

Directors of newspapers and media NGOs from Moldova tackle the necessity of creating a press club, which would protect the interests of media institutions and journalists. Constantin Tanase, the founding director of “Timpul de dimineata” national daily paper told Info-Prim Neo that the idea of a press club is not new; it was discussed long time ago in the journalistic circles from Chisinau. The journalists from Moldova do not have a trade union which could protect their interests, although two journalistic unions exist, which due to various reasons, exits only on the papers, Tanase says. Also he declares that a press club is necessary, something like the one in Romania, which would be a voluntary association of the directors of media institutions, editors-in-chief, opinion leaders and simple journalists with different political convictions, - association based on the values of the professional deontology and press freedom. The journalist considers that press bosses should not take part in this club, excepting the case when they are also founders and journalists, however they must no be excluded from this process. “Namely the press club should establish the dialogue with the bosses who could protect the journalists, but also the editorial policies of the press institutions”, Tanase declared. According to the director of “Jurnal de Chisinau” newspaper, Val Butnaru, there were many attempts to create a press club in Moldova so that nothing new should be invented. In Bucharest, the club of Romanian journalists works very well. The directors of the newspapers debate the important problems of the society, and those of the press. What is tried to create in Moldova looks more like a discussion club, which has no effects or practical results. It is time it becomes an institution, which authorities must take into account, as the one in Bucharest, where its every decisions influences the decisions of the politicians”, Butnaru declared. The editor-in-chief of “Saptamana” weekly, Viorel Mihail, as well pleads in favor of club’s creation, however it must not be politicized but protect the interests of the journalists. Alexandru Dorogan, the chairman of the Electronic Press Association APEL, declares that he always considered necessary the creation of such a club, now though its creation became absolutely necessary, because the press is more constrained as ever. “A club which would protect the press is necessary, a club which could protect its rights and freedoms, promote the common cause of the press, without discrimination. Anyone can be a member of the club, the membership is voluntary, but from the moment of joining the basic principles becomes respecting deontological norms of the press. Its members must be the ones who create the press, as well as the NGOs which support the press, but not the bosses who follow their own interests”, Dorogan added. At present, there is a press club in Moldova, which was organized by the Independent Journalism Center.