The Interior Ministry has summoned journalist Maria Tsantsarova for the second time to be questioned
BTV journalist Maria Tsantsarova was summoned for the second time by the Interior Ministry to reveal her sources of information, the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria announced. The reason is her investigation earlier this year, which showed that while “Vazrazhdane” has spread against vaccination and measures to limit the pandemic, the party’s MPs have been vaccinated.
“The AEJ has learned that an investigation procedure has already been initiated in the case, or that the prosecutor’s office has also joined the offensive. bills through the deputies of “Vazrazhdane”, notes the association.
The proceeding is also ongoing before the Commission for the Protection of Personal Data, which also aims to establish and prosecute the sources of the investigation. AEJ filed a statement in this proceeding with a request to appear as an interested party, but received no response.
The practice of the ECtHR (case Gudiun v UK) categorically accepts that “the protection of journalistic sources is one of the fundamental conditions for freedom of the press” and “the lack of such protection will have a negative impact on the willingness of sources to assist the press in informing the public on matters of public interest “.
Furthermore, according to the Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of whistleblowers, “whistleblowers are particularly important sources for investigative journalists” and “the protection of whistleblowers as journalistic sources is fundamental. to preserve the role of “watchdog” of investigative journalism in democratic societies “.
AEZ-Bulgaria calls on the authorities to immediately stop pressure on Maria Tsantsarova and her employer to provide adequate and comprehensive protection.
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