8 December 2006
Monitoring elections from TAU Gagauzia

During the period October 9 – December 17, 2006, the Association of Independent Press (API) from Republic of Moldova is monitoring mass-media all over the electoral period for the election of the bashkan of TAU Gagauz-Yeri within the project "Free and just elections for the Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia (Gagauz-Yeri)".

Within the above mentioned project and during the period October - December 2006, API in partnership with the Independent Journalism Center (CIJ) is monitoring the following media institutions: IPNA "Teleradio-Moldova" (public radio and television), TV channel NIT, the public Company "Teleradio-Gagauzia" (public radio and television from the Gagauz autonomy), the newspapers "Nezavisimaia Moldova", "Vesti Gagauzii", "Znamea" (Ceadir-Lunga), "Panorama" (Vulcanesti), "Stolita Comrat" (Comrat), "Nastoiascee Znamea" (Ceadir-Lunga). The monitoring period constitutes October 9, 2006 – December 17, 2006 and comprises the electoral campaign with two election tours.

On December 18, 2006, API shall present the last mass-media monitoring report from the second election tour from Gagauz Yeri.

The project " Free and just elections for the Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia (Gagauz-Yeri)" is financed by Eurasia Foundation, the Representative in Moldova of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the National Democracy Fund, USA.