One of the biggest newspapers in Austria, about investigative journalism in Romania and the Republic of Moldova: “You have angered Putin”

The disclosures of the investigative journalists in Romania and the Republic of Moldova are shaking the power structures in their countries, but their work hardly passes the borders. At the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, they could talk about their great stories, writes the Austrian publication der Standard.

The Austrian newspaper noted that, in Romania, in the Republic of Moldova and in other states in Eastern Europe, the publishing teams work hard, as systematic corruption, Russian influence in times of conflict conflicts, election campaigns and scandals leave too little for simple solutions and stories from a single angle of approach.

“Just open Tiktok in Romania”

“I used to believe that threats are real, but that it would be far away. But from the end of last year the threats were there. Do you want to know where Russian propaganda is? Just open Tiktok in Romania,” explained the editorial director of Hotnews, Dan Duca, talking, in Perugia, about the fight against the Hibrid.

If Western editorial teams often fund investigation activities that exhibit systemic failures in isolated democracies, their counterparts in Romania and the Republic of Moldova must document entire corrupt systems, given that the judicial system and the supervision that the media should provide themselves are part of the problem, der standard notes.

The Austrian newspaper reminded, among other things, the press investigations on the opaque budget of former President Klaus Iohannis and about the Recorder disclosures regarding the Nordis case.

The journalist Victor Ilie from the SNOOOOop.ro investigative site spoke, at the Perugia journalism festival, about the mixed relationship he had with the Romanian authorities.

“I had good experiences with the police and other authorities. But on the other hand I was followed and monitored for two months because someone reported me during an undercover investigation,” he said.

However, the fear, threats or questionable strategies of the authorities do not disturb the investigative journalists, writes Der Standard.

“If you abandon a news story because you are afraid, you do not help yourself, nor the society (…). Our research has given the company an extraordinary impulse to exert pressure on the political system,” said Alina Radu, founder of the newspaper of Guard of the Republic of Moldova.

In the Republic of Moldova, there is almost no protection from the state, and the threats come from corrupt political actors, with close ties with Moscow. Intimidation, threats and a flagrant lack of financial resources dominate daily life.

“You simply stay in the newsroom and suddenly you receive a call and a voice says: you did not anger the Șor, you did not anger Moscow. You angered Putin,” said Alina Radu, referring to the threats that his team has received over time.