Press Solidarity is the single solution against abuses – UJM

The events in the media occurred in 2006 prove that in short time the power will focus its efforts against the democratic independent press, and the remaining solutions would only be the journalists’ solidarity and professionalism, stated the head of the Journalists Union (UJM) Valeriu Saharneanu during the round table entitled “Journalists, journalism and mass media of Moldova in 2006: an outlook on relations, state and behaviour”. He mentioned that at present, the independent press represents a stronghold of democracy in Moldova. According to Saharneanu, this year’s most important events in the field of mass-media are the approval of the Audiovisual Code and the creation, on political basis, of the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual and the TRM Supervisory Board, and the liquidation of Antena C and Euro TV as public institutions. According to him, the alienation of the municipal stations means shifting them from the public field under the private one, in fact, under political parties. The partition is clear: Antena C was given to the communists and Euro TV to the Christian democrats. Other members of UJM – Efim Josanu, Nicolae Dabija, Alecu Mocanu also referred to the necessity of solidarity among the independent media, mentioning that it is the only way it can truly become the fourth power in the state.