Moldovan president says free press fundamental value for just, open society

Chisinau, 3 May /MOLDPRES/ - President Maia Sandu, on the World Press Freedom Day, marked today, thanked the journalists and media institutions who guard this natural right and help people be informed from objective sources, the presidential press service has reported.  

„The free press is a fundamental value of a society which wants to be just and open, edified according to the principles of democracy and lawfulness. This is the society which we everybody want and I am happy that, in our country, despite all obstacles, there are many media institutions attached to these values. Due to them, pressure is put on authorities and destinies are changed – and this means to really be the fourth Power,’’ a message by Maya Sandu reads.  

The head of state noted that the role of the mass media was to objectively and correctly inform about the things which happen around and which are important for people – either we speak about public institutions or private initiatives, health, culture, justice or public life. ‘’Based on this information, people take important decisions for them. And presently, during pandemic, the objective and correct informing becomes all the more important as it means health and lives saved. Therefore, to be journalist means also much responsibility. In a world invaded by falsehoods, propaganda and misinformation, the capacity to distinguish and not cause damage to public becomes one of the principal qualities of those who do the press,’’ Maia Sandu said.    

Then Moldovan president also said that the authorities’ mission in relation to the press remained to ensure the freedom of the media institutions; to guarantee fair conditions for their launch and work, including from the economic viewpoint; to ensure the institutional transparency and access to information; to protect and consolidate the journalists’ rights, so that no journalist of Moldova is afraid to be persecuted for the words written.

„This is the true press freedom and it is for the benefit of everybody,’’ the head of state added.