Pridnestrovie's JCC delegation has circulated a response to the statements of the Moldovan delegation that expressed concern over an incident taken place with Publika. tv journalists who carried out unauthorised shooting in the Security Zone.
«On 1 September 2015, in Korzhevo, a district of Pridnestrovie's city of Dubossary, in the Security Zone Moldova's Publika. tv camera crew (reporter — Oxana Bodnar, cameraman — Igor Krokos) was making a TV report on the beginning of the new school year in the local gymnasium. The TV channel journalists could not be unaware that their actions are literally equal to a provocation attempt in one of the most troubled places in the Security Zone.
The Pridnestrovian delegation recalls that the accreditation of Russian, Moldovan, Pridnestrovian and other media outlets with the Joint Control Commission press centre gives them the right to work in the Security Zone on the corresponding JCC decision.
«It appears undisputed that «the visit» of the Publika. tv journalists to Dubossary, in the way it has happened, was evidently organised. In fact, Publika. tv reporter Oxana Bodnar and cameraman Igor Krokos confirmed that, saying their actions were agreed upon with Moldova's JCC member, E. Bumbac, but the JCC has not taken any decision on their work «in the territory of the PMR.» It is evident that the organisers of «the factor of tensions» were aware that such actions would entail quite predictable measures on the part of Pridnestrovie's law enforcement agencies. It was the reason why the journalists were met by an agent of Moldova's security agency at the peacekeeping checkpoint in the village of Novaya Malavata. He took them to the territory of Pridnestrovie in his car. As a result, the Moldovan journalists found themselves in the centre of the events which Moldova is ready to declare the violation of freedom of movement in the Security Zone," says the statement.
In addition, the press card of the journalist accredited with the JCC press centre does not give the right to shoot objects outside peacekeeping operation.
«The journalist has the right with the approval of the JMC to visit the objects of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPF) when covering the activities of the Joint Control Commission, Joint Military Command (JMC) and Joint Peacekeeping Forces. Photo and video shooting are allowed with proper authorization from the JMC and in the presence of military observers," says the accreditation card.
The Pridnestrovian delegation considers such actions of the Moldovan colleagues inadmissible and detrimental to the common cause of preserving peace in the region.
«This incident involving Moldova's Publika. tv journalists is deliberately provocative, has nothing in common with peacekeeping operation coverage and can be discussed at the JCC meeting only in the context of inadmissibility of such provocations in future," says the statement.
