Representatives of editorial offices of newspapers say the print media in Moldova has reached a catastrophic situation during the last few years. The local public administration is mainly to blame as it destroyed the print media distribution system. A number of papers stopped to be issued last year and the “drastic decline” in the number of kiosks selling newspapers is one of the reasons for such a state.

In a news conference at IPN, Elena Tchaikovskaya, of the publication “Antena”, said that tens of kiosks have been removed from the center of Chisinau starting with 2017 for the reason that the streets were in need of repair. The repair works are over, but almost 30 kiosks haven’t been placed back. “On the pretext of fighting street trading, the sale of tobacco products, the municipal authorities waged a real war against Magazines and newspapers and also against readers, limiting access to information. At the end of last year, ten kiosks selling newspapers in Ciocana district were closed. The kiosks in other districts will also be closed as the authorities refuse to extend their authorization,” stated Elena Tchaikovskaya.

Vasilii Profir, of “Logos-press”, said the editorial offices are closed and the employees lose their jobs. As a result, those from publishing houses will also remain without work. At least one unit for selling the print wasn’t set up in the Press House. The two units opened at the Chisinau International Airport were also closed.

Nicolae Dabija, editor-in-chief of the weekly “Literatura și Arta”, said that a nation is cultured when it reads and a country is powerful not when it has more tanks, but when it has more publications and readers. The kiosks selling the print were not only removed, but were also replaced with stalls selling café, cakes and beer. “Our authorities consider we have too many wise people and the books, publications often prevent them from governing, especially when they are in the focus. I would say that they started a fight against our culture as we are witnessing an unprecedented campaign against culture, against books, publications and the press,” stated Nicolae Dabija.

Journalist Stan Lipcanu, of the paper “Săptămâna”, noted that the remaining print media struggle to survive. In other countries, the press is subsidized by the state as t is considered an area of national importance. In Moldova, something like this does not exist. Moreover, this scandal related to kiosks appeared. The kiosks should be indeed revamped, not yet removed.

The representatives of editorial offices called on the local and central public authorities to examine the situation of the print media and to take measures to support this branch that is very necessary for society.