BBG Hosts Training for Journalists in Moldova
Over 70 journalists, international law experts, government officials, judiciary and law enforcement officials, and civil society representatives came together on October 17 in Chisinau, Moldova, for a conference hosted by the BBG in cooperation with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The meeting, titled “The Media and the Judiciary in Moldova: Building Mutual Trust, Promoting Accountability and Engaging Citizens,” was held to help local journalists better cover the judicial system in Moldova, particularly corruption issues.
“Covering judicial issues has its own set of challenges,” said Inna Dubinsky, BBG Development and Training Officer. “We hope that the use of new media tools will help these journalists inform and engage the citizens of Moldova and help them amplify judicial reform and address corruption issues.”
Dubinsky opened the event with Jan Jan Plešinger, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova and later moderated a panel discussion. She was joined by Voice of America Moscow Bureau Chief Jim Brooke and RFE/RL Moldovan Service Director Oana Serafim. Brooke participated on a panel about public communication, transparency and access to information, and Serafim participated in a session on improving the quality and quantity of stories on the judicial system and corruption cases.
The conference concluded a series of journalism training seminars held by the BBG and the Independent Journalism Center in Moldova. The project is supported by the U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Following the conference, the OSCE Mission to Moldova is planning to produce and distribute to judges, courts and civil society organizations across the country a publication outlining recommended actions and public communications guidelines for judiciary system participants to improve communication, transparency and access to information.
[nggallery id=89]