The year 2007 was an unfavourable year for the Moldovan mass media, especially for the press that is independent of state organisations and of the ruling party. Interview with Petru Macovei, executive director of the Independent Press Association. SERIES OF INFO-PRIM NEO MATERIALS “HOW WAS 2007”

[ - Moldova lags behind in implementing democratic standards in the area of mass media. Can you characterise the developments in the area in 2007 and what are your forecasts for 2008?] The year 2007 was an unfavourable year for the Moldovan mass media, especially for the press that is independent of state organisations and of the ruling party. 2007 saw frequent cases of pressure on the mass media, how the access to information was denied, how the mass media was sued and how the journalists were directly attacked. Therefore, we cannot speak about the implementation of democratic standards. In fact, Moldova moves away from these standards and this thing is confirmed by the six press-related cases in which the Government was found guilty by the ECHR in 2007. I suppose that the situation in 2008 will not improve as we entered a pre-electoral year and the parliamentary elections of 2009 will be a big stake, first of all for the ruling party. Undoubtedly, the mass media property will continue to be redistributed in 2008 and it will get into the hands of persons that will be instructed by influential politicians. Initiated several years ago by formally denationalising the governmental press, this process continued with the “appropriation” of the municipal broadcasters and of a news agency, posing great risks to the freedom and pluralism of mass media in Moldova. [ - What were the most serious violations of freedom of the media in 2007 in your opinion?] 2007 saw a series of attempts to repress the press that inconveniences the authorities. Its activity was hindered, including by denying access to information of public interest (non-admission of journalists to the meeting of the country’s president with clergy of Balti municipality, groundless removal of reporters from courtrooms etc.) and by directly attacking and mistreating the journalists. Some relevant examples are the illegal detention by the police of a crew of Pro TV Chisinau channel that was filming an event staged by an Opposition party, similar to the case involving Euro TV (when ballot papers were found in the court of the channel), the “seizure” of a part of the copies of the independent publication “SP” based in Balti town etc. [ - What concerns should be high on the Moldovan authorities’ list of priorities in 2008 in order to implement beneficial reforms in the area of mass-media?] I think that first of all the Moldovan authorities should deideologise the public broadcasters and create conditions for developing and making the independent media more viable. As regards the public broadcasting, of vital importance is to eliminate the political influences in the administration and regulation of the activity of the National Public Broadcaster “TeleRadio-Moldova”. There should be formulated and implemented efficient policies that would stimulate the development of independent media. These policies should include support for the press of social importance in the form of indirect subsidies, fiscal concessions, clear and transparent mechanisms of access to public money. Direct foreign investment should be channelled into the national mass media and into the printing industry and distribution.