“President Vladimir Voronin’s attitude towards the joint statement of 11 embassies working in Moldova shows lack of respect and disregard for theme and for the independent press in Moldova,” the Union of Journalists of Moldova (UJM) says in a statement.

At a news conference on July 24, the UJM president Valeriu Saharneanu said that the authorities’ reactions to the mentioned statement are worrisome, totally unexpected and contrary to the character and importance of this document.

“The statement was welcome. It represents a trenchant message calling on the Moldovan authorities to hold free and fair elections in 2009,” Saharneanu said.

The UJM president also stated that “wishing to underline the disrespect for the diplomats and journalists at the July 23 conference, President Voronin replied that he has not seen or heard of this statement”.

In another development, Saharneanu said that the fact that the Romanian journalists and employees of media institutions in Romania were banned from entering the conference hall shows cruelty and proves the quality of the present government.

On July 17, representatives of 11 European diplomatic missions issued a joint statement, expressing their concern about the actions taken by the law enforcement bodies against mass media, the editorial independence of Teleradio-Moldova Company and the pluralism in the broadcasting sector. The signatories called upon the Moldovan authorities to further improve the legal framework governing elections and, in view of the 2009 national elections, to submit the Electoral Code for expertise to the Council of Europe and the OSCE and to take full account of their recommendations.//REPORTER.MD


Publication date: 24 July 2008   

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