At the same time, the People's Advocate calls on the authorities to work to create a pluralistic
media ecosystem in which quality journalism is stimulated and supported, including through
financial support measures.
The People's Advocate expresses his opinion on this subject in the context of the Declaration
of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the financial sustainability of quality
journalism in the digital age of 13 February 2019112. In the nominated statement, the CoE
Committee of Ministers states that an environment conducive to freedom of expression and
freedom of the media presupposes favorable political, legal, social and economic conditions for
quality journalism in the public interest, recognizing that such journalism is a good public and has
substantial benefits for democracy.
The CoE Committee of Ministers recommends that Member States ensure the long-term
financial sustainability of quality journalism, produced in accordance with the editorial and ethical
standards of the profession, while providing effective safeguards to ensure that such a framework
does not constrain the editorial and operational independence of the media. Member States are
encouraged to create a beneficial tax regime for the production and distribution of journalistic
content; financial support schemes for the media sectors, to undertake measures to develop
journalism and the media financed through a variety of funding modalities, including through
private-public partnerships.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Before formulating the recommendations, it will be mentioned that the recommendations of
the People's Advocate from his 2019 Report on Freedom of Expression113 were largely not fulfilled.
They are currently 90 percent valid, which is why the People's Advocate reiterates them in this
Report. In addition, the People's Advocate makes the following recommendations:
1. The Parliament should adopt, as a matter of priority, after consultation with the media
community, the necessary laws to combat concentration, political control over the media
and create a favorable climate for the development of independent media in the Republic of
112
Declaration of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the financial sustainability of quality
journalism in the digital age of 13 February 2019
(https://search.coe.int/cm/pages/result_details.aspx?objectid=090000168092dd4d);
113
Report of the People's Advocate on the observance of fundamental rights and freedoms in the Republic of Moldova
in 2019, pages 34-35 (http://ombudsman.md/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/RAPORT_2018_final.pdf);
63
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