In recent years, the press in the Republic of Moldova has demonstrated remarkable democratic maturity and has been a pillar of resilience in a period marked by major pressures on society. The statement belongs to President Maia Sandu and was made at the opening of the tenth edition of the Media Forum, convened annually under the auspices of the Press Council, reports IPN.
The head of state said that journalism in Moldova has directly contributed to the protection of democratic processes. “You continued to inform correctly and defend the public interest, even though some important support programs for the free press were closed this year”, added Maia Sandu.
At the same time, the president drew attention to the amplification of manipulation phenomena, including through new technologies, and reiterated the importance of modernizing the legislation in the field to the new realities. “I know you don’t have the luxury of large editorial teams or generous budgets and that’s why solutions must be sought in collaboration, efficiency and professionalism. In the face of these realities, we must act together. The modernization of the legislative framework is imperative, because we can no longer defend democracy with the tools of a few decades ago”, explained Maia Sandu.
The President of the Press Council, Viorica Zaharia, stated that the Media Forum has confirmed its role as a relevant platform for identifying issues and solutions in the field over the past ten years. “It is an event made possible thanks to partner organizations and journalists who show, year after year, a great interest in the forum”, said the council leader.
Viorica Zaharia has noted progress in the media in recent years, partly due to the debates at the forum. According to her, the compensation of the fee for the distribution of printed press, the creation of the press subsidy mechanism or the adoption of the access to information law are some of the results of previous discussions. At the same time, the president of the Press Council also drew attention to the threats to the safety of journalists, including in the online environment, for which a viable solution is being sought.
At the same time, Viorica Zaharia explained that journalism is not just about who delivers the news first, but primarily about in-depth investigation and providing answers. “I allow myself to appreciate the professional maturity that other media sectors also manifest, not just investigations, although some editorial offices still primarily focus on the minute-by-minute transmission of information, which sometimes harms the accuracy of the facts, we are still making progress. We increasingly see well-executed field reports, documentaries, analyses and substantial talk shows”, emphasized Viorica Zaharia.
Present at the event, the European Union ambassador to Moldova, Iwona Piorko, assured that the EU’s support for independent media will continue. “Independent journalism is crucial in combating intrusions and interferences, threats that this country faces day by day”, said the diplomat.
The German Ambassador, Hubert Knirsch, emphasized that freedom of opinion and press freedom are pillars of democracy and called for transparency in media ownership. “The responsibility of journalists is towards readers, towards viewers and only towards them”, added the envoy.
In turn, the Danish ambassador, Soren Jensen, stated that his country will continue to support the Moldovan press in the face of misinformation and the risks brought by emerging technologies. He reminded of the 6 million euro program, launched in 2024, to support editorial teams and combat manipulation.
The media forum brings together nearly 200 journalists, editors, teachers, students, representatives of public institutions and international experts. The Press Council will award the National Prize for Ethics and Journalistic Deontology and will launch the eighth edition of the “Black Book of Public Money Waste”. Over the two days of discussions, media issues will be addressed, and at the end of the meeting, a resolution will be adopted with requests addressed to the authorities and the guild for strengthening the press in Moldova.
