The Press Council from Republic of Moldova calls upon all mass-media institutions from the country to hinder the spreading of defamatory messages contained in comments posted by visitors on websites and in sms texts sent during live shows.

After examining similar cases during the sitting from May 6th this year, the Press Council issued a common appeal to all mass-media institutions from the country, urging mass-media to take additional measures for moderating messages (sms and comments to articles from websites) which contain direct attack upon the person, xenophobe statements, licentious language, other discriminatory and defamatory texts. In such a way, potential cases of blaming for defamation by means of mass-media shall be avoided, and press institutions shall prove their accountability towards the public.

The Press Council from Republic of Moldova would like to make an appeal to journalists and mass-media institutions with the request to observe copyrights and avoid plagiarism in their journalistic activity.

The Press Council recommends the modality employed by several European Union members regarding the free-of-charge taking-over of materials, consisting of borrowing utmost 500 characters, without exceeding half of the article or news item. In such cases, it is compulsory to quote the source and author of information, and present the direct link to the source. The integral taking-over of articles or news items can be done only basing on an agreement concluded with owner of the copyright.