Vienna, 14/06/2014
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe is worried by different reports on the violation of media freedom and freedom of speech in Romania in the past several months.
„It has been brought to our attention that journalists and other media workers in Romania have been facing various types of pressure in their work. Journalists are subjects to threats, attacks and self-censorship, which is leading to a deterioration of media freedom in this country“ said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic.
Dan Constantin, one of the editors-in-chief of Jurnalul National daily newspaper was assaulted and threatened on 14 June. The motivation behind this attack was the guest appearance of Constantin in a TV talk-show on Antena 3 TV channel, a station openly critical of Romanian President Traian Băsescu.
The channel Antena3 was also put under pressure by some politicians after airing a short film about a relative of the President, who allegedly received money, in order to intervene at judiciary level.