Report on media situation finds that State continues to support government-friendly newspapers

The former governmental newspapers continue to be supported by the Government even after denationalisation, in exchange for their government-friendly editorial policies. These are the findings of the annual report “The freedom of expression and information in Moldova in 2006”, worked out by the Independent Journalism Centre. The report exemplifies by a document of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, signed by deputy minister Tatiana Lapicus, which was published one year ago and suggested that leaders of subordinated institutions subscribed to the “Moldova Suverana”, “Nezavisimaia Moldova”, “Moldova” magazine and “Official Monitor of Moldova” newspapers. This Ministry published a similar document in late 2006. The report also mentions the Government decision of December 2006 to allocate to “Moldova Suverana” newspaper over 376,000 lei for paying printing expenditures, as a “unique financial support”, and to “Nezavisimaia Moldova” newspaper – a unique financial support worth 81,300 lei for paying the debts to the Editorial House “Universul”. The report assessed the conduct of tmass media during the election campaign in Gagauzia, held in late 2006. The monitoring of the elections’ first round revealed that most of mass media in Gagauzia had favoured the former governor of the region Gheorghe Tabunscic. OSCE Mission also found that Tabunscic had been heavily supported by the state-run regional mass-media, representatives of local and central authorities and the ruling party.