Media organisations concerned over new attempts to restrict reporters’ access to events of public interest

Nongovernmental media organisations are deeply concerned about the recent cases of restriction of reporters’ access to events of public interest and about the offensive attitude towards reporters doing their job. In a joint statement, the signatory media organisations refer to the case of a reporter from the newspaper Moldavskie Vedomosti, who was not allowed to attend the meeting of the EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Fererro-Valdner with the students of the Moldova State University on February 15. The University administration, backed by agents of the State Guard Service, turned away the reporter under false pretexts and, at the same time, allowed other media representatives in. The statement also refers to a case where a reporter of the daily Timpul de Dimineata was mistreated by a bodyguard of PM Vasile Tarlev while the Premier was inspecting the Government’s motor vehicle fleet on February 16. Although the reporter produced in ID and asked for permission to accompany the Premier during the inspection, citing the fact that the Premier was a public person and the inspected facility was public property, the head of the Government’s press service Carmena Lupei called a bodyguard who pushed the reporter out. Earlier, the reporter published an article about violations committed by the governmental motor pool when purchasing 17 Skoda cars. The signatory organisations urge the authorities to punish the guilty persons and take measures to stop the offensive practice of communicating with the media, which is increasingly spreading among the public authorities, and ensure, in accordance with the national legislation and international commitments, unrestricted access of the media to information and events of public concern. The statement’s authors remind that the Press Law forbids interferences of any kind with the activity of preparing and disseminating information by the press, while a journalist has the right to obtain and disseminate information; to make audio/video records; to attend meetings, assemblies and other public events. The statement was signed by the Independent Journalism Centre, the Independent Press Association, the Centre “Acces-Info”, the Committee for Press Freedom, and the Electronic Press Association.