Mr. Minister,
Your actions and inactions, along with those of the Ministry of Culture, have driven this editorial. It aims to create public pressure for progress on three key issues—so that our beloved Republic of Moldova can be both beautiful and wise, hardworking, and closer to the EU. This editorial addresses Moldova’s participation in Creative Europe, the need for a more sustainable media sector, and the fate of 31 August 1989 Street, which has deteriorated from a cultural symbol into an eyesore, realitatea reports.
Topic 1
We strongly advocate for Moldova’s immediate accession to Creative Europe!
It is not a whim, an illusion, or a symbolic gesture of EU alignment. It is necessary to internationalize, participate in European creative co-productions, showcase our potential, and prove Moldova’s capabilities. It is essential to establish a stable path for cultural and media institutions to grow without relying on national funding or subsidies.
To clarify, Creative Europe is the EU’s primary funding program for cultural, creative, and audiovisual sectors. Between 2021 and 2027, it has allocated €2.44 billion—funds that Moldova’s cultural and media institutions could have accessed.
As an EU candidate country, Moldova has rights and commitments under the agreement and a responsibility — to lead through reforms, modernization, and actions that improve lives and create competitive opportunities across all sectors, from culture and media to business and industry.
Frankly, it is shameful that Armenia, Albania, Bosnia, Georgia, and even Kosovo have joined Creative Europe, while Moldova hesitates over mere tens of thousands of euros—funds that could generate millions for the economy. Even Ukraine, despite being at war, has joined Creative Europe, while Moldova continues to delay.
After two years of discussions, treating this issue with indifference and postponements is inexcusable. The industry learns about developments through rumors rather than clear communication despite our shared goals of growth, independence, and creative freedom.
Delaying Moldova’s accession to Creative Europe until mid-2025 would waste another year. Most cultural and audiovisual funding calls close in the first half of 2025, meaning Moldova’s cultural sector would miss out on key 2025 opportunities. Additionally, the lag between signing the agreement and becoming eligible would further delay real benefits.
Excluding the Media subprogram from Moldova’s participation would be a serious mistake. This decision would strip the audiovisual sector of crucial advantages—training, funding, and access to European distribution networks. Media institutions are among the best prepared to apply for and implement projects immediately.
Moreover, since the U.S. has suspended funding, particularly through USAID, quickly opening access to this EU funding tool could help mitigate the impact. Moldova could apply for hundreds of projects, ensuring continued growth.
Amid the ongoing public debate, I want to express deep gratitude to the U.S. Embassy, USAID, and the American people for their unwavering support in modernizing Moldova. Thank you for empowering media institutions to create innovative content, funding initiatives like Tekwill, ArtCOR, MediaCOR, Nortek in Balti, Inotek in Cahul, ZIPHOUSE, CyberCOR, Moldova Creativa, the Future Classroom, Future Professions, GLIA Impact Hub, and many more. Thank you for revitalizing the tourism industry, promoting Moldova’s exceptional wines, renovating schools, improving infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs, strengthening the economy, and trusting in Moldova’s creativity and work ethic. Your support has made Moldova more modern and civilized.
Now, we must take responsibility for our country, streets, schools, economy, and culture. We must prove we belong in European civilization—not as passive observers but as active participants who read, learn, and build a modern society.
To be effective, Moldova’s accession to Creative Europe must happen now. Otherwise, another year will be lost, and a summer accession will be nothing more than a news headline or a bureaucratic checkbox in EU reports, lacking real impact. This decision must serve the people and the industry—ensuring tangible benefits. Moldova, as a young democracy, cannot afford delays. Imagine where we would be if we had joined Creative Europe two years ago when this discussion began.
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Topic 2
More than a year has passed since the Ministry of Culture took over media policy coordination. Acknowledging the ministry’s lack of expertise in this field, I set no expectations to avoid future disappointment. Indeed, for over a year, no meetings have been held with the media industry—not a single discussion on What challenges do you face? How can we help the industry grow? How should we adjust legislation to reflect current realities and needs?
However, given the ministry’s legal authority over media policy, I urge you to take the lead in convening and organizing an extensive meeting on the media industry. This meeting should include the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitization, the Prime Minister’s economic adviser, the parliamentary media and economy committees, media institutions, advertising agencies, sales houses, and other key stakeholders. The main topic of discussion must be – How do we grow the advertising market —the foundation of media institutions’ sustainability, development, and, most importantly, editorial independence?
Beyond its strategic and national security significance, the media sector is also a business—employing thousands, generating revenue, paying taxes, and requiring transformation into a full-fledged industry. You have a historic opportunity to lead this transformation to strengthen media sustainability and independence.
Successive governments have distorted advertising flows in every conceivable way—some monopolizing, others restricting through bans and excessive regulation. These interventions have driven the audiovisual advertising market to its lowest point since independence. In just the past two years, legislative changes made without industry consultation have shrunk the market by 27%. The structure of advertisers by sector is now uniquely unbalanced—unlike anywhere else. In 2023, the market stood at just €8 million, whereas under normal conditions, it should have reached €25–30 million.
With a properly developed advertising market, Moldova could support stronger TV channels, more local talent, and higher-quality content. We could enjoy Made in Moldova TV series, films, talent shows, and competitions. Most importantly, media outlets would no longer teeter on the brink of collapse. The 250+ journalists and technical staff who have left in the past three years could return to the profession. Specialized journalists in economics, foreign policy, and culture would reemerge. And runaway oligarchs would no longer be able to buy out the Moldovan press.
The industry has concrete ideas, proposals, and solutions to normalize regulations and create conditions for advertising market growth—benefiting both the sector and the country. Consider these examples: Estonia, with a population of 1.32 million, has an audiovisual advertising market worth €75 million. Latvia, with 1.88 million people, has a €55 million market. North Macedonia, with 1.81 million people, has a market of €35 million.
Much work remains in the media sector—addressing the excessive Russification of audiovisual content, restructuring cable network offerings to reflect national interests, introducing tax incentives that would ultimately increase state revenue, updating the Audiovisual Media Services Code to match recent transformations, and even ensuring constitutional oversight of Gagauzia’s audiovisual environment, among other urgent issues.
Minister, I urge you to start with the money. The media industry thrives with financial support and collapses without it.
Topic 3
While this topic does not relate to the media, I consider it crucial as a citizen and resident of Chisinau, our capital.
The issue is the section of 31 August 1989 Street between Pushkin Street and Mitropolit Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni Street.
I ask you, as you have publicly acknowledged in a TV interview, to recognize the situation as one of collective powerlessness and to make a ministerial decision: preserve the asphalt in its current state so it can be paved, freeing us from this blight in the historic center of our capital.
This stretch of 31 August 1989 Street is one of the most beautiful in the city, home to four buildings of great cultural significance and a monument—all within a small area. These include the National History Museum, the National Art Museum, the former Chisinau Theological Seminary, the National Library, and the Vasile Alecsandri monument. This area represents the heart of Chișinău’s urban culture, where generations of Moldovan intellectuals grew up, loved, cried, and sang.
It is deeply shameful that it has deteriorated into a garbage dump and parking lot, a neglected and unattractive street that even pedestrians avoid.
Mr. Minister, we are unable to resolve this ourselves. We lack the specialists to relocate the cobblestones to the National Library’s courtyard or create a pile of stones in the shape of Guguta’s cup in the National History Museum’s courtyard. There are no other solutions. We want the cycle path extended. We want the sidewalks paved and the fountain at the National Palace “Nicolae Sulac” repaired and landscaped. We want an environment where we can enjoy evening strolls along a beautiful street that reflects its historical and cultural significance. A place that inspires young people and allows students from the Academy of Music, Theater, and Fine Arts to sketch these buildings. We want to improve transportation to reduce congestion. We want civilization—both in terms of aesthetics and urban infrastructure.
Minister,
As a former lawyer, career diplomat, current media manager, film co-producer, book publisher, civic activist, and passionate supporter of the Republic of Moldova, I have two primary goals: Moldova’s EU accession and the happiness of its people.
You should know that I am your biggest supporter in modernizing Moldova, driving effective media transformation, promoting culture and national values, creating a film industry, and protecting Moldova from any glorification of Soviet-era repression. I am committed to building a democratic, modern Moldova.
This manifesto is not a criticism, nor an attack, nor a cry of despair. It is about each of us playing our role in improving our country, about the chance to make our nation more beautiful and prosperous, and about changing for the better. It is about leaving behind a legacy that future generations will admire. We Moldovans have endured much over the last 100 years—suffering, patience, and victimhood. We must break this cycle by teaching the younger generation to be different.
Modern life offers us the opportunity to transform. We must show that we have dignity, that we are hardworking, that we belong to European history, that we preserve our values and traditions, and that we support each other. We are a nation of peace fighters. We should be proud of everything our small, often misunderstood country stands for.
We are a beautiful country, a multicultural people enriched by the cultural diversity of all nationalities. We are all Moldovans—citizens and patriots of the Republic of Moldova, part of European civilization.
Dumitru Tira
CEO, Realitatea
P.S. Mr. Minister, I have a suggestion that does not fit the main text: allocate one million lei from any fund you choose to pay five journalists specializing in culture. Place them in five editorial offices across Moldova. It is the most effective mechanism for promoting culture. It will produce a minimum of 5–10 news articles and journalistic materials daily —at least 50 per week and over 400 annually. Other newsrooms will take these stories and amplify them, diversifying content. Within a year, the entire country will be aware of our shows, painters, musicians, and young talents. Together, we will celebrate our cultural achievements and take pride in the artists who are internationally recognized but largely unknown in our own country.
We can make this happen. We just need the will and the action to do so!