Passion Week for Moldovans. Actions and reactions to attacks on media and democratic freedoms. Review & Comment by Info-Prim Neo

Over the past week, Moldova witnessed a series of events that aroused concerns among the civil society, foreign missions and international organisations. Although these are common occurrences in the context of Moldovan realities, part of these events are new as form and essence, frequency and actors involved. For a better understanding of these, it seems suitable to review the actions and reactions to the past week’s events. But, as nothing can come out of nothing, let us take a step backward to establish the start and, in fact, the legal grounding of that chain of concentrated events, taken against the fundamental freedoms of Moldova and the freedom of press in particular. [“...I will not give Thee a kiss like Judas...” – from a pre-Communion prayer] [Info-Prim Neo, Friday, March 23] On Friday, March 23, Parliament passed in two readings the amendment to the Parliament Regulations, providing that national TV and radio stations will no longer be obliged to broadcast Parliament sittings live. On the same day, the amendment to the Regulations was published in the “Official Monitor of Moldova”. The draft law aroused debates and argument among MPs for more than 2 hours. The authors of the draft law, the Christian-democrats Iurie Rosca, Stefan Secareanu and the communist Victor Stepaniuc, justified the need of this amendment by the fact that obliging “Teleradio-Moldova” Company (TRM) to transmit sittings live would mean interference in the Company’s editorial and financial policy, which contravenes the provisions of the Audiovisual Code (CA). Also, according to them, live transmissions cost about MDL 2.3 mln per year. According to the MP representing “Moldova Noastra” Alliance, Veaceslav Untila, the initiative confirms the fact that PCRM and PPCD have already begun their electoral campaign, and the ceasing of live transmission is part of their propagandistic arsenal. “The allies try to cover their gaps which make them vulnerable. After friendly sharing the two media sources – “Euro TV” and “Antena C”, the two parties no longer need live broadcasting”, Untila mentioned. According to him, by examining this initiative, the Constitution was violated, because at that moment the Regulations were not even published. This bill “limits the citizens’ constitutional right to free access to information”, Untila concluded. Leader of the Democrat faction, Dumitru Diacov, stated that it is totally unserious to refer to costs. “If the sittings will no longer be transmitted live, the 2 stations will include their own programmes, the cost of which will not be smaller. Concerning the interference into the editorial policy of the Company, the argument would have been acceptable, if we ignored the fact that nearly each programme of “Moldova 1” is under a government contract.”, Diacov said. Leader of PPCD Iurie Rosca, deputy speaker and one of the draft law’s authors said: “I initiated this reform and I believe that it should be ceased, because the Audiovisual Code was adopted, the reform in the filed will be liberalised in short time and a new leadership of “Teleradio-Moldova” will be elected”. The bill was approved in first and second reading by the vote of 58 MPs from PCRM and PPCD. In protest, Christian-democrat MP Gheorghe Susarenco announced he refused his membership in the faction. Condition no. 5, of those 10 announced by PPCD on April 4, 2005 as conditions for re-electing the head of state stipulated: “To ensure transparency of the governance, the legislation shall be amended to broadcast live Parliament plenary sittings and Government meetings on national radio and TV stations”. In a joint statement issued on Thursday, March 15 the embassies and international organisations accredited in Chisinau expressed their concern about the trends related to the freedom of media in Moldova recalling the commitment undertaken by Moldova under the EU–Moldova Action Plan and other international agreements including the call to the unrestricted flow of information enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to develop a truly vibrant and free media. The signatories call on Moldova to adhere fully to its obligations to the OSCE, EU and Council of Europe as well as other international commitments and on all bodies concerned to implement fully international standards on media freedom, so that the Moldovan people receive the free and unfettered the views of all sides in the election campaign. [“Steps at the Door”– the title of a novel about Soviet repressions] [Info-Prim Neo, Tuesday, March 27] Two reporting crews were arrested by the policemen of Centru District Police Office while doing their job. The crew of PRO TV Chisinau was arrested in the street, while shooting a walk of the Liberal Party (LP), which planned to lay flowers at the graves of the National Assembly members on the occasion of the 89th anniversary of the unification of Romania with Basarabia. The journalists were arrested together with other 15 representatives of the LP by numerous policemen and were transported to the Police Office. The second crew, of the DTV channel, was arrested in the headquarters of the Centru District Police Office, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to a press-release from LP, on Tuesday, March 27, at 11.00 at the crossroad of Bernardazi and Armeneasca streets, five police crews rushed in upon the 15 LP members, including the president of the party Mihai Ghimpu, and vice-president Dorin Chirtoaca. The representatives of the LP say they were legally walking on the sidewalk towards the Central Cemetery, without disturbing the public order or traffic. News director of PRO TV Chisinau, Corneliu Durnescu, told Info-Prim Neo that the reason set forth by the Police Commissioner Dumitru Rusu is that the “arrest of the reporting crew was a mistake occurred due to the cram”. “We consider this is an action aimed at intimidating our TV channel which tries to do its job. We call the Ministry of Internal Affairs to present official apologies for the incident and we request the Ministry to punish the police officer who committed the abuse”, is said in a protest note of PRO TV Chisinau, signed by TV director Catalin Giosan. A few moments later, the crew of DTV was arrested directly at the headquarters of the Centru District Police Office. They came to find information about the arrest of the LP members. According to DTV director Ion Terguta, the policemen took out the tape from the camera and erased it, and the reporter Tatiana Gavriliuc was threatened that penal proceedings would be instituted against her if she would insist upon this issue. [Info-Prim Neo, Wednesday, March 28] Anatol Petrencu, the chairman of the “European Action” Movement (MAE) is accused by the Buiucani District Police Office of participating in an unauthorised march, held on March 25, an event he didn’t take part in. Petrencu told a press conference on Wednesday, March 28, that he was invited to the Police Office, where he was accused of participating in an unauthorised march, together with the members of the Romanians’ Democrat Forum (FDR) and laying flowers at the monument to Stefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great). Petrencu denies these accusations, stating that at that moment he was involved in a meeting with the members of the movement. According to him, policemen did not listen to his arguments, requesting him to appear before court on Wednesday. The leader of MAE asserts that these charges are related to the refusal of the Ministry of Justice to register the movement. Now the minister will have one more argument – the fact that the movement’s leader participates in unauthorised events. The chairman of FDR, Nicolae Dabija, told the same conference that after a manifestation of the Forum on Monday together with his colleagues he headed for the monument to Stefan cel Mare in order to lay flowers. Although this action hasn’t been a planned one, no violation of the legislation was committed. However, he has also been invited to the Buiucani Police Office, being accused of participating in an unauthorised meeting. [Info-Prim Neo, Thursday, March 29] The Supervisory Board (SB) has failed on Wednesday, March 28, to appoint the director of the “Teleradio-Moldova” Company and the managers of the national TV and radio stations, after a number of SB members and candidates for the offices claimed breaches of the Audiovisual Code as regards the competition requirements. They referred especially to the fact the Code was not observed, according to which the list of applicants, the applicants’ CVs, as well as their proposed conceptions of company development should have been made public. [“Voice crying in the wilderness…” Bible (Matthew 3:3)] [Info-Prim Neo, Saturday, March 24] US Ambassador to Moldova Michael Kirby is concerned about the situation of media in Moldova and hopes that the local elections will be fair. Ambassador Kirby made these statements in his speech delivered in front of the students of the State University of Moldova. The American ambassador mentioned that free and independent media is one of the most important challenges for any nation which aspires to reach true democracy. “Without independence, without the freedom to openly criticize the government, without the possibility to present different viewpoints, the other basic elements of the democracy, such as viable civil society, transparency and responsibility could become weaker and disappear”, the diplomat said. According to Michael Kirby, the majority of observers found that the public institution “Teleradio Moldova” “obviously favours the Government and the ruling party”. At the same time, the cited source says that the recent events related to “Antena C” and Radio 103.5 FM from Balti are concerning. [Info-Prim Neo, Miercuri, 28 martie 2007] The Journalists Union of Moldova (UJM) expresses indignation and protest overt the illegal acts committed on Tuesday, March 27 by the police bodies in Chisinau against two reporting crews of PRO TV and DTV channels. UJM says that in both cases, police showed disrespect to journalists, and behaviour which exceeds the constitutional limits. It is the proof that in Moldova the bodies meant to protect the public order got accustomed to intimidate media and journalists. The fact that these cases are repeated and the authorities do not take up an attitude by enforcing the law, suggests the assumption that these actions are controlled and aim at sapping the free media in Moldova. [Info-Prim Neo, Wednesday, March 28] The Council of Europe has to continue monitoring Moldova. The need to prolong this process is dictated by the current realities, said Stefan Uratu, the head of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (HCHR), commenting on Tuesday’s actions of the police, when several members of the Liberal Party (LP) and Pro TV Chisinau reporting crew were detained by police and the tape of the DTV channel was erased. Uratu said he will request to set up a committee composed of NGOs and representatives of parliamentary factions, which would examine these abuses by police. HCHR issued an Appeal requesting the Police Commissariat to annul the administrative proceedings initiated against the participants in the “unauthorised march”, and to make a public apology on behalf of those involved in the conflict against their will. At the same time, the Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office is to carry out investigations into the case to establish the real cause for which the police had intervened, and grounds on which the members of LP and “Hyde Park” NGO were hindered from exercising their constitutional rights, while reporters (PRO TV, DTV etc.) – from doing their job. The Committee also seeks to let the public know about the results of this investigation. [Info-Prim Neo, Wednesday, March 28] “Moldova Noastra” Alliance (MNA) condemns the police attacks occurred on March 27 against politicians and the reporting crews from PRO TV, DTV and TV-7, attacks which prove that the regime of Voronin deliberately tries to compromise Moldova in front of Europe and the entire democratic world, says a statement signed by MNA Leader Serafim Urecheanu, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the leader of MNA, the recent incident is a part of a series of actions undertaken by authorities, supported by the pro-communist coalition, and directed towards demonstratively defying the viewpoints expressed by the western diplomats and democratic forums. [Info-Prim Neo, Wednesday, March 28] Media NGOs are concerned and indignant about the actions taken to repress the freedom of speech on Tuesday, March 27. A joint statement signed by media organisations says that the law enforcement bodies’ actions concerning the arrest of the reporting crews of PRO TV Chisinau and DTV channels, the act of erasing the video tape of DTV, as well as the arrest of the Liberal Party members and “Hyde-Park” NGO representatives are a serious abuse. We qualify these actions as an attempt to intimidate the press, to hinder journalists from doing their job, as well as an attempt to silence critical voices” the statement reads. [Info-Prim Neo, Wednesday, March 28] The ombudsmen in Moldova are concerned about the incident that occurred on March 27, when two PRO TV reporters were detained by police, while filming an event in Chisinau. Later the crew of the TDV channel was intimidated and their camera tape seized and erased. According to a press release from the Centre for Human Rights, these events arouse concerns and can not be tolerated in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, where the human rights and freedoms, including freedom of opinion and speech, are the supreme values and are guaranteed. [Info-Prim Neo, Wednesday, March 28] The social-liberal parliamentary group expresses concern over the recent involutions of the Government in Chisinau concerning fundamental human rights and liberties and especially the freedom of press and freedom of speech. A statement by the Social-Liberal Party (PSL) condemns the anti-constitutional actions taken by the representatives of the law enforcement bodies, subordinated the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The employees of these bodies limited the representatives of the Liberal Party as well as a group of Writers’ Union members, in exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms established in the fundamental law. The group also condemns the fact that journalists from PRO TV Chisinau, DTV and TV7 were limited in their professional rights. “12 years after Moldova’s accession to the European Council, the situation of democracy and the principles of the law-based state continue to decay, this process being especially disagreeable in the last few weeks, as the electoral campaign approaches. “The Government is experiencing an agony”, the statement reads. [Info-Prim Neo, Thursday, March 29] The Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) expresses its disapproval about the actions undertaken by the Interior Ministry’s employees who, on March 27, detained two reporting crews from PRO TV and DTV channels. BCC found on Thursday, March 29, after hearing the directors of the two channels in a public meeting, that the reporters and cameramen were detained and intimidated by police while they were doing their job, and namely they were shooting in Chisinau an unauthorised protest walk. In a statement released today, the Council, as the representative and guarantor of the public interest in broadcasting and as the authority in charge of protecting journalists, urges all the governmental and nongovernmental institutions, as well as all the citizens, not to admit and prevent actions that would subject the journalists to pressures or threats that would hinder or effectively limit the free exercising of their professional activities. The national broadcast authority recalls that, under the Article 15, p.3, of the Broadcasting Code, “the coercive (psychological) constraint, exertion of pressure by intimidating radio and TV reporters to determine them to breach the deontological journalism standards are punished by law”. [Info-Prim Neo, Thursday, March 29] The old staff of “Antena C” radio station is indignant at the actions undertaken by police against the journalists from PRO TV Chisinau, DTV and TV-7, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a solidarity statement signed by the journalists “sacked from Antena C”, they express their deep indignation about the events which took place on March 27, when their colleagues were persecuted by police. The journalists qualify these events as abuses, intimidation and harassment of free media by the government. [Info-Prim Neo, Thursday, March 29] The Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Louis O'Neill, expressed his deep concern over renewed restrictions of freedom of the media and freedom of assembly in Moldova. His statement came in response to Tuesday's detention of 15 members of the Liberal Party during a protest walk in Chisinau, and of two TV crews, which were filming the arrest. "I urge the Moldovan authorities to exercise restraint in the future. It is vital to ensure that journalists can report freely and that citizens enjoy their right to free expression. This is especially important in the light of the campaign in the run-up to the 3 June local elections," he added. The Head of Mission also expressed concern over today's temporary arrest of the print-run of the weekly newspaper SP in Moldova's second biggest city Balti. [Info-Prim Neo, Thursday, March 29] The Coalition 2007 is expressing its disagreement with the detention by police bodies of the PRO-TV crew, and the seizure of the DTV film crew’s tape, actions undertaken by the police forces on 27 March 2007 when a group of citizens were detained while walking towards the place of commemoration of historic personalities. According to a statement released by the Coalition, it is extremely alarming that the repressive actions of the interior forces continued the following day, when the print-run of the „SP” newspaper in Balti was arrested. This series of events leaves no room to doubts over regrettable accidents; on contrary, it suggests that these actions were not random. The authors of the statement are qualifying all these actions as inadequate to a democratic society, as attempts to intimidate citizens who share different views to the official ones, and as an attempt to curtail freedom of expression. The NGOs part of the Coalition analyse the respective actions in the context of electoral climate in the Republic of Moldova, marked by a series of events of a negative nature that can cause severe damages to the integrity of the electoral process, by undermining the democratic process and affecting the image of the country within and outside its borders. [The Revival of Democracy is postponed “in national interests” – practices by Moldovan authorities as seen by political analyst Mihai Godea] The past week’s events prove that the political climate in Moldova is marked by serious deviations from the democratic principles and values. Despite the concerns uttered by foreign diplomats with respect to media situation and civic liberties, their curtailing through abuses by law enforcement bodies suggests that authorities continue to act as they used to. Bearing in mind that we are at the start of the election campaign, these actions do not appear to be accidental. Harassment of media and opposition politicians has become a central element of the Moldovan political landscape, but also a decisive factor for the anti-European essence of these acts. The unjustified detention of the group of liberals and PRO TV crew, the rude treatment of DTV and TV-7 reporters, events occurred on March 27, and a day later the court proceedings against the FDR leadership and “The European Movement”, the seizure of the Balti-based “SP” newspaper’s print-run, represents an ampler and well supervised move. Never before has a number of such kind of attacks against free media and opposition happened in such a limited period of time. We also remind that statements by foreign ambassadors on the same issue have never been released at a distance of a few days before. The reactions by ambassadors Kirby and O’Neill are a relevant proof. The happenings represent a new element in the country’s political process. Whereas international organisations grow steadily concerned, authorities seem to constantly fuel these worries. Most of them play dumb, probably hoping that this way they would avoid “troubles”. This is a wrong thinking. Another new element is the reaction of the ombudsmen and the Broadcasting Coordination Council, which condemned the attacks on media too. Their responses came rather unexpectedly, since up to that moment they had been acting as simple witnesses of the persecutions by authorities. Is it because the Stefan cel Mare Boulevard (where the buildings of the Parliament, Presidency, and Government are situated) “changed the air streams”, or is it about a move designed to simulate democratic institutions in operation? However, this simulation will be a tougher job to do once the authorities have fewer and fewer arguments to convince the public opinion and the International Community about the seriousness of their European ambition. The decision of the ruling coalition to stop the mandatory live TV and radio broadcast of the Parliament sittings has reconfirmed the tendency to restrict access of citizens to information. This case didn’t trigger a reaction from the ombudsmen and BCC. Why is that? Is this not a matter of nation interests in broadcasting, or did BBC stop being a guarantor of this interest? We shall find the answers very soon. In the same context one should regard the “fuss” in the Supervisory Board of “Teleradio-Moldova”. The delay in appointing the management of the Company and national TV and radio stations proves SB members’ unprofessionalism and the fact that a number of them are controlled by the government. The reason behind the failed appointment should be looked for in the reduced capacity, both political and professional, of the SB to enforce the new Audiovisual Code, and in the arbitrary interpretation of the law. In another part of the country, in the Gagauzia autonomy, Governor Formuzal gives us lessons of democracy. While Parliament decides to stop live broadcast of its own sittings, the governor arranges for broadcasts of the meetings of the regional government and Gagauzia National Assembly. While opposition politicians are arrested in Chisinau, the governor proposes an agreement between regional parties to ensure fair and free elections. As much as it might seem paradoxical, Gagauzia could become the only isle of democracy in Moldova. Looking back on the past week’s event, we can firmly say that the start of the election campaign looks depressing, leaving fewer hopes for fair and democratic elections. Authorities act as they got used to, and some opposition parties hope they will not be touched if they will not react to the authorities’ actions in any way. The civil society allies to ensure free and fair elections, while international institutions are growing concerned about the future of the democracy in Moldova. The ombudsmen and the BCC act as if they were given an order, while Gagauzia gives up the simulation of reforms. The appointment of the TRM management is delayed concurrently with the stopping of the live broadcast from Parliament. All these events make us think that the country is more and more looking like “the wild west”, where the sheriff controls dust storms.