President Maia Sandu stated at the Media Forum in Chisinau that the Republic of Moldova urgently needs a modern legislative framework capable of countering new forms of manipulation and informational attacks. She said that “we can no longer defend democracy with tools from decades ago” and urged the media community, experts, and authorities to actively help develop rules adapted to current realities.
Maia Sandu highlighted the crucial role that the press has played in protecting democracy in recent years and noted the maturity and resilience shown by media institutions, even as support programs for free media decreased. She warned that threats to the informational space will become even more aggressive in the coming years.
“Globally, the battle for democracy will not only take place at the polls and in institutions, but largely in the informational space. It may well be the toughest battle of our generation. Manipulation, technologies that allow nearly perfect fabrications, coordinated attacks on public trust, and propaganda funded by hostile actors and spread through fake accounts all form a sophisticated arsenal that creates an extremely volatile informational environment. In this context, the volume and aggressiveness of disinformation risk surpassing everything we have seen so far. Impersonation using artificial intelligence and the creation of pseudo-realities are no longer theoretical risks but widely used tools against us, often with even greater intensity. If we do not acknowledge this, prepare ourselves, and join forces, democracy risks being defeated by lies and manipulation.
Our internal problems also increase the risks. In a media ecosystem with limited resources, the temptation to sacrifice analysis for speed or visibility is high. We must therefore search for solutions through collaboration, efficiency, and professionalization. Given these realities, modernizing the legislative framework is imperative. We need clear rules for online spaces and standards for transparency and accountability. We must sanction new forms of manipulation,” Sandu said.
The head of state called on newsrooms to collaborate to strengthen their capacities and emphasized that resource sharing and joint projects can serve as effective solutions. She stressed the importance of developing journalistic expertise in European affairs so that the press can accurately and thoroughly explain the European integration process to the public.
“For three years now, at the Media Forum, I have returned to this idea because it remains crucial: European integration, the country’s most important project, CANNOT be explained only by state institutions. The press must also develop an in-depth understanding of European mechanisms, analyze documents, and explain each stage of this journey to the general public. I therefore encourage newsrooms to develop expertise in European affairs and ensure journalistic presence in Brussels. When individual resources do not allow this, newsrooms can form joint teams or collaborate through co-employment or correspondent rotation,” Sandu added.
She also urged educational institutions to treat the training of journalists as a shared responsibility and reiterated the need to introduce media education in schools as a tool to protect students from manipulation.
In conclusion, Maia Sandu stressed that although the press faces an unequal fight against propaganda, both the press and society have one essential advantage: the truth. She encouraged forum participants to identify solutions that strengthen society’s resilience and announced that the resilience plan recently approved by the National Security Council will offer new opportunities to consolidate the informational space.
European Union ambassador to Chisinau Iwona Piorko, present at the Forum, stated that the press in the Republic of Moldova remains “an important democratic partner, contributing to the promotion of good and transparent governance.” She thanked the organizers for addressing pressing topics such as new technologies and media policy challenges and said that the forum’s discussions “will reinforce the development of the press in the Republic of Moldova.”
The EU diplomat also recognized the dedication of journalists, especially those from the regions, who traveled for hours to attend the debates. She reiterated the importance of explaining the European integration process to all regions of the country and mentioned meetings with Moldovan journalists in Brussels to give them direct access to information and ensure correct reporting on EU accession stages.
Over 200 journalists, media experts, newsroom managers, professors, students, and representatives of professional organizations are participating in the two-day, tenth edition of the Media Forum in the Republic of Moldova, held in Chisinau under the auspices of the Press Council.
Press Council president Viorica Zaharia opened the forum by noting that Moldova still has not adopted a new media law and that threats against journalists remain high. She called on state institutions to more efficiently investigate threats, including online ones.
The 2025 edition includes six discussion panels on critical media topics: legislative priorities in the context of European integration, the impact of technological giants on press freedom, malign external influences on the informational space, the evolution and challenges of the advertising market, professional journalist training, and the sustainability of independent media and international support.
Three practical workshops focus on promoting journalistic content on social networks, using artificial intelligence tools, and protecting journalists from online attacks.
Members of the parliamentary media commission, several ministries, the Audiovisual Council, the Central Electoral Commission, the Center for Strategic Communication and Counteracting Disinformation, higher education institutions, foreign diplomats, donors, and international organizations are also participating.
International experts include Julia Haas (OSCE), Jan Lublinski (DW Akademie), Anna Pohrebna (Suspilne, Ukraine), Marian Vogel (MiCT, Germany), Attila Biro (Context.ro, Romania), Jasper Steinlein (Deutsche Welle, Germany), and Mariia Leonova (media consultant from Ukraine).
As tradition, the forum will present the National Prize for Journalistic Ethics and Deontology and the awards for the Journalistic Investigations of the Year competition.
Participants will draft a final resolution with recommendations and requests addressed to authorities and the media community. Organizers will send the document to national institutions and international organizations monitoring Moldova’s democratic development.
The 2025 edition is organized by the Press Council in partnership with the Independent Press Association (API), the Independent Journalism Center (CJI), and the Electronic Press Association (APEL), with support from the European Union.