Independent media and the organisations that support them play a crucial role in providing people with reliable information about the world around them. By being part of Fojo’s regional network to boost resilience and support independent media networking, actors like Telegazeta in Ukraine and TUK.MD in Moldova can draw support from each other to sustain their vital work.
Dmitry Klimanov, the General Director of Telegazeta Publishing in Ukraine, strives to operate during an ongoing conflict and manage declining advertising revenues. He was part of Fojo’s regional network for independent media in Eastern Europe, which was established in 2023 and offered capacity-building and support. The purpose has been to create resilience for journalists to give them the strength to continue working for democratic and sustainable societies in Europe. Independent media from Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine and Belarus are also part of the network.
“Moral support makes a difference. When I meet colleagues from the region, I gain perspective on my own challenges and receive psychological support to persevere in continuing to inform people and enhance their resilience against disinformation and propaganda,” says Dmitry Klimanov.
The online newspaper TUK.MD in Moldova is located in the Taracila area in the south, where many of the country’s minority groups reside. Some of them speak only Bulgarian and Russian, not Romanian which is Moldova’s official language, and are strongly influenced by pro-Russian propaganda. In the region, the pro-Russian and banned Shor party has significant support.
“In several cases, local leaders have spread disinformation to influence voters in the direction they want. We have an incredibly important role to play in providing reliable information so that they can make well-informed decisions that benefit the population,” says Angelina Giadarzhi, Managing Director of the online newspaper TUK.MD.
For her, colleagues in Ukraine have been a great source of inspiration.
“They continue to work despite the war and have already experienced things similar to the situations we face in Moldova. Thanks to colleagues and partners in this network, I have gained many tools to address the problems we encounter,” says Angelina Giadarzhi.
