Tiraspol, 29 April. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. A bill amending the law «On the mass media» virtually legalises the Supreme Council's order which bans journalists from taking photographs and videoing parliament's plenary sessions, said Inna Deleva, head of the State Agency for Mass Media, following today's meeting of the Supreme Council's committee on public organisations, sports, information and youth policy.
«It is the legalisation of the order which they approved, in our opinion, in violation of the mass media law and constitution norms," said Inna Deleva.
This refers to amendments to Paragraph e) of Article 46 and Paragraph 4 of Article 47 of the law «On mass media». The current version stipulates that the accredited journalist has the right to attend sessions, meetings and other events organised by the bodies of state power that have accredited him/her unless such an event is to be held behind closed doors. And the journalist has the right to make audio and video recording unless otherwise provided by law.
The proposed version suggests that additional restrictions placed both on access to parliamentary events and on audio and video recording may be imposed by by-laws.
Speaking at the committee meeting, Irina Deleva underscored that MP's initiative goes counter to the Constitution which provides for citizens' integral right to obtain comprehensive, accurate and timely information.
The president's plenipotentiary to the Supreme Council, Vladimir Bodnar, also argued against this paragraph of the draft law. According to him, adopting amendments to Articles 46 and 47 will create prerequisites for other bodies of power to impose restrictions on the mass media.
«The president will issue his decree as he sees it, the government will adopt its order as it wants it, and the Supreme Council has already done it by banning journalists from videoing Supreme Council sessions. I don't see any progress. I can see only regress, including the rights of both journalists and ordinary citizens," said the president's representative.
The agency's head also noted that contradicting articles of the draft law regarding the founders of state-run media outlets and funding procedures need revising. However, the committee has recommended the Supreme Council to pass the bill on first reading and then finalise it.
