The political groups of the European Socialists and Liberals (ALDE) intend to bring up, within the European Parliament (EP), a resolution against the attack on the freedom of the press in Romania made by the Presidency and the Country’s High Defence Council in qualifying mass-media campaigns as “threats” to national security.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) MEP Ioan Enciu stated, for “Jurnalul National”, that the two great political families are preparing a joint action, similar to the one conducted last autumn, when the European Socialists and ALDE brought up, in the EP assembly, a motion against the Italian prime-minister, Silvio Berlusconi, accused of restraining the freedom and pluralism of the Italian press. Romanian MEPs, with the understandable exception of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) ones, have already taken action in Brussels, calling on the European Commission to take a stand against the dictatorial tendencies of the Basescu regime. The PSD MEP Ioan Enciu addressed the EC, calling on it to “keep a close watch on the Romanian Presidency’s actions, which ‘severely’ injure the freedom of the press”. Enciu asked the EC to “take concrete measures with a view to protecting the press and freedom of speech in Romania”.

Furthermore, the National Liberal Party (PNL) Renate Weber claims that the EP Liberal group, ALDE, will file a complaint at the EC on the “unprecedented attack on the freedom of the Romanian press”. Renate Weber considers that “the Romanian political police is ever more present”, the introduction of press campaigns on the list of the state’s vulnerable spots being “an invitation to the courts of law to condemn the press for the crime of communicating false information, a highly questionable charge”.

Media organisations concerned

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is very concerned about the Romanian National Defence Strategy which has been adopted by the Romanian Supreme Defence Council (CSAT). “It is very alarming that the President of Romania, a member country of the European Union, has issued such a strategy laying out allegations against the media instead of defending freedom of speech and democracy,” said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic in a release sent to Nine O’Clock.

Vujovic added: “It is even more worrisome that the strategy has already been adopted by the CSAT. In a democratic society the media plays an important role by informing the public about matters of public interest. The National Defence Strategy poses a threat to freedom of speech and critical reporting. SEEMO strongly condemns the statements suggesting that the media is a security threat and vulnerability for Romania, and calls on the Romanian Parliament to respect the role of the media and reject the strategy accordingly.”