The Association of Independent Press (API) welcomes the initiative of the new governor of the Territorial Administrative Unit of Gagauz Yeri Mihail Formuzal concerning the denationalisation of the regional press financed from public coffers, a statement of the API says, quoted by Info-Prim Neo.

According to API, European and international democratic standards prohibit newspapers from being public-funded or provide for offering subventions to the entire media, on the basis of equal conditions and without administrative or economic discrimination. The EU-Moldova Action Plan sets out the following principle: “State financial assistance for media to abide by strict and objective criteria equally applicable to all media”. Unfortunately, the republic’s leadership prefers not to apply this principle, encouraging selective subsidising from the public budget of some regional and national newspapers, which are commonly used as tools for improving the image of the government party, the statement says.

API calls on the Parliament, administrations of raions and municipalities to follow the example of the new leadership in Comrat and start the process of the denationalisation of the local press. Thus, they will have the opportunity to prove their attachment to the norms of a democratic society concerning the administration of public money. At the same time, API informs about the necessity to ensure maximum transparency and the respect for the rights of journalists in the process of denationalisation.

API announced its availability to contribute to increasing professionalism and strengthening editorial and financial independence of the new publications that would replace the current regional newspapers, if this periodicals will be equidistant and independent from authorities and political parties, the quoted statement mentions. // Info-Prim Neo


Publication date: 23 January 2007   

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