Moldovan parliament speaker highlights importance to ensure information access to events from parliament

Chisinau, 27 October /MOLDPRES/ -Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu today participated in the opening of the first Media Forum. The goal of the event is to discuss the main problems faced by the journalists' community of Moldova and identify potential solutions, the parliament's communication and public relations department has reported. 

In his speech given to the participants in the event, the speaker referred to the importance of an independent mass media, truthfulness of the spread information, social responsibility of journalists, as well as to the reforms needed in the media sector.

"The political and economic situation in Moldova is covered by the media, and press institutions of Moldova also reproduce models and discussions present in the public life. Besides the reforms in justice, fighting corruption, banking system, reforms are needed in the media field as well," the parliament speaker said.

Andrian Candu highlighted the parliament's willingness to organise trainings for journalists, in order to strengthen the legislative knowledge of media representatives. "The parliament is ready to  organise a string of activities for journalists - discussions, in a format allowing the latter understand better  how certain things work in the parliament. It is not about a schooling, but rather that we give you a helping hand and want to contribute to the enhancing of your professionalism," the speaker specified. 

Candu also touched upon legislative initiatives on amending and completing the Audiovisual Code, on which the Council of Europe and OSCE gave their expert's opinion. Candu said that the mass media propaganda could be counteracted only through democratic instruments, i. e. through quality journalistic products, which are to fight the manipulating information. 

Andrian Candu appealed to media representatives attending the event, urging them to make proposals to improve the working conditions of the journalists accredited in the parliament. "It is important that the parliament's leadership ensures information access to everything that is happening in the parliament, as well as the transparency in the parliament's activity," the speaker also said. 

The Media Forum is held on 27-28 October and is organised by the Press Council of Moldova, in partnership with the Independent Press Association (API), Centre for Independent Journalism, Electronic Press Association and Young Journalist Centre of Moldova. Debates on public policies in the media sector, workshops on the most important topics for media institutions of Moldova, masterclasses with media experts from abroad, etc. take place during two days.

Attending the opening of the forum were also Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet, Head of the European Union Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau Jose Luis Herrero, head of the Press Council Ludmila Andronic and the API executive director, Petru Macovei.    

Participating in discussions are journalists, editors, media managers, representatives of media organisations, academic environment, experts of Moldova and from abroad. At the end of the debates, the participants in the forum will approve a "roadmap" for authorities that will contain recommendations, in order to create and consolidate a climate of loyal competition and editorial independence of the media institutions from Moldova.  

(Editor M. Jantovan)