Opposition MPs propose resolution on freedom of press and expression

A group of 15 MPs presented on Friday, June 29 a resolution entitled “Freedom of press and expression are throttled”. According to the authors of the resolution, one of the most concerning involutions in Moldova, is the systematic policy of the communist government on monopolising the public speech, limiting the freedom of speech, through legislative means and pressures of economic and financial or administrative interferences, as well as by attempts to directly or indirectly subordinate the press and the audiovisual, public or private. On the whole, these actions could seriously affect the democratic process in Moldova, the authors of the resolution say. The document says that the political-governmental interference on the media market was carried out through budgetary funds allotted to the governmental and partisan media institutions; in the activity of the Broadcasting Coordination Council; by using a differentiated and discriminatory economical-financial treatment in the case of media operators and in the activity of some mass informing institutions etc. Also, the resolution mentions the government’s lack of reaction in the case of the attacked journalists and that the way these attacks are encouraged shows the arrogant and disregardful attitude of the Government towards the press. All these actions had a as a result the violation and limitation of the right to expression, which is an attack against democracy and an obstacle for the European goals of Moldova. The draft law aims at making the PM take under personal control the enforcement of the Law on the access to information, as well as the EU-Moldova Action Plan in what concerns the engagements on ensuring freedom of the press and expression; the Minister of Internal Affairs undertake legal actions for hastening the settlement of the cases related to the attack against the journalists; and the Government stop its economical-administrative interference in the development of media and respects the principle of free competition between media operators. MP Igor Klipii requested Speaker Marian Lupu to start the legal debate procedure of the law. The resolution was signed by 14 opposition MPs, who are not included in any parliamentary faction, as well as by the MP of the Democrat Party, Vladimir Filat.