On the 27th anniversary of the declaration of Moldova’s Independence, IPN News Agency set the goal of presenting the thoughts of those who chose to leave the country temporarily or for good in search for a better future.
Vitalie Cojocari, 34, was born in northern Moldova, in Cuizăuca village of Rezina district. After he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences of the Moldova Free International University, he studied for a master’s degree in Audio Video Multimedia Production at the University of Bucharest, the Faculty of Journalism. He is a television journalist. While studying at the university, he worked for three years at several editorial offices in Chisinau, including PRO TV Chisinau. In 2006, he started to study at the University of Bucharest and in parallel worked as a correspondent at PRO TV Bucharest. Since then he has worked as a journalist at this channel.
Asked why he decided to work in Romania, not at home, Vitalie Cojocari said the media market of Moldova is very small. When you reach a particular level, you feel as if you are in an aquarium. The possibilities are reduced partly owing to the extremely weak economy that suppresses the media outlets that want to yield high-quality journalism, partly owing to huge political pressure exerted on editorial staffs. “When I left Chisinau, powerful polarization could be seen in the media sector - journalists who served the power and journalists who tried to work independently. The press that didn’t associate itself with the power was close to extinction. The press that was supported, including financially, by the government had everything, but less the role of providing information. Regrettably, after 12 years things didn’t change. From this viewpoint, Romania is by 20-30 years ahead of the Republic of Moldova,”, stated the journalist.
Romania was a conscious, calculated, assumed choice. They speak Romanian and consider themselves Romanians there. “I took such a step because here I can learn, can develop and, most important, can produce features that have an impact and help the people. I crossed the Prut to show that a Romanian born in the Republic of Moldova can write journalism in Romania, despite predictions about my failure. I will open the parentheses here. I do not understand why there are so few journalists in the Republic of Moldova who, constrained by a media market with limited resources, do not try their luck in Romania?” asked Vitalie Cojocaru.
He does not believe in the existence of two peoples – Moldovan and Romanian. In his opinion, there is only one people inside two separate states: the Republic of Moldova and Romania. There is only one language, the Romanian one. Moldova can learn from Romania how to really fight corruption. It can learn that the struggle for particular values, such as democracy and the rule of law, should never stop. The nation’s carelessness gives birth to huge monsters and the citizens should be thus always watchful. Moldova can learn from Romania that the press can be a valuable watchdog, that the people should trust the journalists more and should choose the faithful ones and support them financially and morally. The citizens of the Republic of Moldova, even if they also have the nationality of Romania, can learn from the Romanian citizens that they can associate themselves and form different associations, civil institutions that would permanently monitor politicians’ actions.
Vitalie Cojocari said the Republic of Moldova is seen from outside as a dear, beautiful house with flowers on the veranda and a cherry tree in the orchard. This is a house that was regrettably left by thousands of people. As a result, the flowers dry out and the cherry tree is full of warms. The house is inclining towards a precipice. The roof is damaged and the grass is as tall as a man, while the gate is rusty. “Nevertheless, it is yet a house to which you want to return as it is your home! We hope that the manager who was entrusted to look after the house will not steal all the money at a certain moment and will start to invest in maintaining it. There is still hope.”
The journalists noted the Republic of Moldova is quasi-unknown in the world. Besides the theft of the US$ 1 billion, corruption scandals and street protests, nothing else can bring this state onto the pages of newspapers and in news bulletins in the West, including Romania. “Every time I’m asked about the Republic of Moldova, I’m ready to relate and do it with pleasure. I’m usually put the same questions. What do I tell those who are interested? I tell them that there is no Moldovan language. I tell them that the Republic of Moldova is not situated geographically near Russia (I know that it is strange, but many have the impression that Moldova is somewhere near Moscow). I tell them what they could visit between the Prut and the Nistru. I praise the wine, the candies made by Bucuria, the people for their assiduousness. I also tell them about less pleasant aspects, such as endemic corruption and how the US$ 1 billion was stolen and how the elections are rigged and about serious topical problems,” stated Vitalie Cojocari.
According to him, there are many persons who know nothing about the developments in Moldova, including in Romania and including journalists. And he thus has to explain. He often does it on his Facebook page. He discovered that there are a lot of interested persons who appreciate his effort and this fact gladdens him. He never excluded a return to Moldova. He learned a lot and could do many things... But he chose not to return, not now or in the near future. In fact, he does not know when. He considers not the weak economy, the situation in the press or even the political situation make him stay far from Moldova. The mentality is actually what makes him bother. Anything can be changed in Moldova by work, devotion and perseverance, but the mentality is what keeps the state stagnant.
“I can give one more example. The Moldovans haven’t yet decided if they want in the European Union or the Eurasian Union of Putin. Half of the population drags the country to the West, while the other half to the East. Things will change only when the people make up their minds as to the direction they want to follow. Another example. Some too easily overlook the thefts and corruption scandals. It is incredible how easily some of the people can be bought...”, said the journalist.
Asked what he longs for the most when he is not in Moldova, Vitalie Cojocari said he misses a lot his family. “I miss my mother’s eyes, my father’s voice, the tales of my brothers, my nephews and the dear people whom I see only several times a year. But I think this longing is present in the souls of many Moldovan citizens and makes many return HOME. Still makes”.
Elena Nistor, IPN
Repeat of August 23
