IPN on January 9 published an OP-ED article entitled “Constitutional Court, European integration and (geo)political struggle in Moldova”, which was written by political pundit Dionis Cenusa. According to the politologist, the interaction with the Constitutional Court enabled the ruling parties to offset the own lack of legitimacy and decline in popular support. The forces that do not take part in governance looked yet in the Court for an institution that would balance the Democrats’ control over the state institutions, but this seldom decided in their favor. The constructive role played by the Constitution perpetuated the political status-quo that ultimately undermined the democratic basis of the state. Read more…

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Journalist Octavian Bratosin said Moldova’s European orientation and the signing of the Association Agreement are themes that are disliked by Moscow. “When it is about the audiovisual sector it is easier because the Moldovan authorities found this solution to ban programs produced in countries that didn’t sign the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. But in the case of the Internet, things are much more difficult. It is much harder to combat the information that is swiftly disseminated through social networking sites,” stated the journalist. Read more…

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The law to amend the Broadcasting Code was published in the January 12 issue of the Official Gazette. The broadcasters and distributors of services that are within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Moldova are obliged to adjust their audiovisual program services and offers of services of programs retransmitted in accordance with the new broadcasting norms within 30 days of the publication of the law in the Official Gazette. The law allows for the retransmission only of news, feature, military and political radio and television programs produced in the EU member states, the U.S., Canada and in the states that ratified the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. Read more…

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The director of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Igor Munteanu said the Russian Federation took control of the minds of the people by generously financing hundreds of portals and TV channels in our area. In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Igor Munteanu described the Russian diplomatic service’s reaction to the law to amend the Broadcasting Code as sheer propaganda. He stated the reaction of the spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who accused the ruling party of pursuing anti-Russia policies and noted that not only the OSCE, but also all the European institutions should react as it is an attack on the population’s basic right to have free access to information, is pure propaganda. Read more…

The summary of news from the IPN series “European Integration” is produced with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany and can be further disseminated on condition that the source is indicated.