Liberal MP proposes state fund for aiding periodicals

Liberal Party MP Corina Fusu proposed the creation of a Special Fund for Aiding Periodicals, a tool for providing state aids to periodicals. The MP is of the opinion that this would protect mass media diversity, contribute to the freedom of opinion formation in society and stimulate competition in the field of print media, Info-Prim Neo reports. The MP proposes the fund to be administered by a council of 7 members, appointed for a term of 2 years. Four members will be nominated by journalism organizations, two by Parliament and one by the Government. The fund’s budget, according to the initiative, will consist of state aids for periodicals, transferred from the state budget and from the budgets of administrative-territorial units, sponsorships for social projects, state subsidies, grants, donations of natural and juridical persons and other sources. Another draft law proposed by Corina Fusu stipulates fines of 150 to 5000 conventional units (3000 to 10000 lei) for people who hinder the activity of mass media institutions or who intimidate journalists for criticism. The parliamentarian wants fines of 300 to 500 conventional units (6000 to 10000 lei) for people who alter the journalistic materials without justification.