The vice-president of the Parliament from the Socialist Party faction, Vlad Batrîncea, declared in a speech, in the Parliament, that the media institutions receive millions of euros from the West. Batrîncea also claims he has information about the acquisitions of journalists in recent years, claiming that the journalists received thousands of euros in envelopes. The representatives of media NGOs claim that the deputy’s statement could be seen as an attack on journalists and suggest him to reconsider his position.

On April 23, Batrîncea stated that he knows what messages some doctors receive from journalists. He mentions that the journalists urge doctors to speak up to the press about the working conditions in the hospitals, during the pandemic. 

“Do you know what money comes in the first place from our dear partners, from the West? The grants of millions of euros, big money, come for media institutions, for more light on the issue of COVID-19. Why should a journalist receive thousands of euros in fees in an envelope, without taxes, without a mandatory medical fee? No, I still will not go down to this level to say by name who lives, and how he lives, who and what he has purchased in the last two years. I have this information and if we start this fight, it will be mutual. Those who write about doctors and send messages at midnight: “go out to the press, do not hide the truth,” said the vice-speaker.

The director of the Center for Independent Journalism, Nadine Gogu, mentioned for ZdG that Batrîncea’s statements can be qualified as an attempt to intimidate those journalists who try to reflect everything related to the COVID-19 pandemic, to present not only the perspective of the authorities, but more information, because that’s normal: journalists have to offer two perspectives.

“I think that Mr. Batrîncea was not well documented when it comes to these millions. I have the impression that he and other colleagues in the party saw some information about the aid offered worldwide for COVID coverage and concluded that it is only about Moldova. I have seen acid comments on social networks and I have the impression that they do not read the sentences to the end, do not get into the essence, and start commenting. Certainly, those journalists, especially those media that survive because of grants, are very transparent, because a grant means transparency. There can be no question of paying in envelopes. Independent media, especially those supported by grants, ensure transparency. In the case of others, if they possibly know such practices, then they should speak up,” the director of the Center for Independent Journalism, Nadine Gogu said. 

Gogu mentions that these statements remind her about the times when journalists were tapped. 

The executive director of the Independent Press Association, Petru Macovei, also states that the independent media institutions are transparent and that the politician would try, through his statements, to attack the media representatives.

“Probably the vice-president of the Parliament speaks from his own experience, when alleged journalists, for money, offer different services to politicians. The situations are very different. In Moldova, there are journalists who contrary to all deontological and moral norms accept money from politicians, but there are many journalists who do their job honestly, without claiming or accepting money from politicians. What he said can only be an attack on journalists. Politicians of such rank should undoubtedly refrain from such anti-democratic slippages. 

Moldova’s independent media institutions receive grants from international institutions, including the European Union (EU). This is very transparent, no one hides it. The EU and donors do not impose editorial conditions on journalists, unlike politicians who hold various media institutions. Currently, the Socialist Party is the owner of the main media holding company, benefitting the most from the concentration of media ownership in the country. 

Batrîncea accused all the media employees of corruption by claiming that pseudo-journalists who serve party interests and the honest journalists are the same. The main drivers of corruption are politicians in our country, including the Socialist Party, who tolerates corruption in all areas, including the media. The expert mentions that Batrîncea should reconsider his statements, because such attacks against the journalists are outraging,” Petru Macovei, the executive director of the Independent Press Association.  

The media expert remarks that previously the Communist and the Democratic Party abused the control they exercised over the Security and Intelligence Services or police, claiming that they know certain data. The executive director claimed that the parties that control public institutions use the information to attack media institutions or other politicians.