The Press Freedom Days Involve a Record Number of Activities and Organizations

This year, the Press Freedom Days will involve a record number of activities and organizations, declared on Tuesday, May 2 at a press conference the executive director of the Independent Journalism Center, Corina Cepoi. According to the quoted source, the Youth Media Center in partnership with “Loesje” international organization (Berlin, Germany) will organize the workshop “Why keep your right to remain silent” and a photo exhibition. The head of the Association of Independent Press, Petru Macovei declared at the same press conference that on May 3, at the radio Antena C station will be organized a radio contest on the Press Freedom topic0. At the same time in partnership with the World Association of Newspapers plans to product a video spot and to issue a press communiqué within “Don’t Lock up Information: Stop Jailing Journalists” campaign. The head of the Center of Journalistic Investigations, Cornelia Cozonac declared that during the week will be lunched the campaign “Corruption in the health sphere”. The campaign includes several journalistic investigations in collaboration with journalists from several media organizations. The event will begin on “EuroTV” channel on May 3 with the public debate “Coverage of corruption in the health sphere in journalistic investigations”. Cornelia Cozonac mentioned that the Center initiated a fund for the investigation journalists in the cases when they will be maltreated or of unfair actions at law. The fund is supported by the Media Institute of Budapest and is supplied with an initial sum of one thousand dollars. According to the organizers, in the period during May 3-12 “the Days of freedom of youth media” will also take place. The Center of Young Journalist will organize with this occasion “the Young Journalists’ Forum” and “Youth Media Festiaval”. On May 4, in the public park “Stefan cel Mare si Sfant” will take place the Media Fair, organized by IJC. In the same day will be lunched the competition for the French speaking journalists “Gutuia de Aur” – “Le coing D’or” organized by the newspaper “Corrier de Moldavie”. Also on May 4, the “Acces-Info” Center will organize a round table “Aspects of decision-making transparency - the role of the media”. On May 5, The Independent Journalism Center will organize the seminar “Investigative Journalism and Press Freedom” and the “Acces-Info” Center – the training for civil servants “Pro-active information of the public. Cooperation with the news media”. The Institute for Public Policy plans to organize on May 5, 12 and 19 public debates on legislative initiatives regarding broadcasting in the Republic of Moldova, round tables: “Draft laws: stipulations regarding the regulation authority in the field” “the radio-TV public service”, “ activity of private broadcasters”. On May 11, at the National Museum of History will take place the National Symposium “The Press writes History” and on May 12 – the conference for journalism students “The national media – a catalyst of cultural change in Bessarabia”. During May 14-31 the reporters of the Center of Journalistic Investigations will visit the regional media outlets and will meet with the readers. On May 29-30 the Institute for Public Policy will organize the evaluation conference of the public debates on the Draft Audiovisual Code were will be elaborated proposals for the Parliamentary Commission of Media. The organizers of the Press Freedom Days are the Independent Journalism Center (CIJ), Association of Independent Press (API), Association of Broadcast Media (APEL), “Acces-Info” Center, Youth Media Center , Center for Young Journalists , Committee for Press Freedom, the Moldovan Journalists' Union, Institute for Public Policy, National Museum of History, Journalism Department of the State University. The partners and donors of the event are the Council of Europe, National Endowment for Democracy (USA), Missouri School of Journalism (USA), “Loesje” International Organization (Germany), OSCE, The Balkan Trust for Democracy, US Embassy in Moldova, International Republican Institute (SUA), SCOOP Program (Denmark), Soros Foundation - Moldova, The World Association of Newspapers (WAN).