Activity Details (ID# 11043)

Activity Synopsis

The first objective of the seminar was to review the European standards on media coverage of election campaigns. The second one was to examine the current legal framework and practice of media coverage of elections and its compatibility with the European standards. The third objective was to involve in a debate all interested actors during an election campaign, namely broadcasters, regulatory authorities, legislators, representatives of different political parties, members of government, with the aim to improve the existing legal provisions and practice.

 

The seminar was very well organised by the Information Office of the CoE in Chişinău. The participants received files containing various relevant documents, including the Moldovan legislation and regulation regarding elections, as well as two Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the CoE, translated into Romanian (Rec (99) 15 on measures concerning media coverage of election campaigns, and Rec (2000) 23 on independence and functions of regulatory authorities in the broadcasting sector).

The objective of the seminar was reached: in the light of the CoE standards on media coverage of elections and of the British and Cypriot experience in this area, the participants examined the current legal framework and practice of media coverage of elections in Moldova. The interventions of CoE representatives stimulated the discussions on the European standards concerning media and elections and on principles of self-regulation by the media during election campaigns.

Several participants pointed out that Moldovan legislation regarding elections has several weak points that have to be clarified by that the CEC and CCA. Certain notions like «electoral information» or « period of electoral debates » are not clearly defined and lead to confusion.

Furthermore, the CEC and CCA should find and apply solutions to solve the lack of balance in coverage of different candidates. According to different monitoring reports by the civil society, national broadcasters (such as TeleRadio Moldova, NIT, Pervîi Kanal v Moldove) and several local ones, as well as all governmental newspapers showed clearly biased attitude in favour of the ruling communist party.

At the same time, the participants noted that several broadcasters refused to cover the electoral campaign, which reduced information on candidates. This increased the risk of manipulating public opinion, hence the fairness of the final results of election.

The self-regulation by the media themselves, which should play a major role during elections, appeared to be a difficult exercise for the Moldovan media, as most of them are not really independent.
 

At the close of the seminar, the participants drew up a series of conclusions and recommendations that have been addressed after the Seminar to the CEC, CCA Parliament, to the media, press agencies, NGOs. On 23 February, the Media Division was informed that the CEC had modified the electoral regulation, allowing additional time for electoral debates and permitting their broadcasts on Sundays. This improvement was among those recommended by the participants in the seminar.

 

Media professionals, representatives of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), Coordinating Council of the Audiovisual (CCA), political parties, civil society and NGOs. Among participants were Mr Vladimir PHILIPOV, SRSG of the CoE in Chişinău, Mr Ion MIHAILO, Chairman of the CCA, Mr Iurie CIOCAN, member of the CEC, Ms Angela SÂRBU, Director of the Independent Journalism Centre (IJC), Mr Valeriu SAHARNEANU, Chairman of the Journalists’ Union of Moldova (JUM), Mr Ion BUNDUCHI, Chairman of the Association of Electronic Press.

 

Mr Ashok AHIR (United Kingdom) &
Mr Christophoros CHRISTOPHOROU (Cyprus)

 

Eugen CIBOTARU, Programme Advisor, Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights