Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and other forms of legal harassment represent a growing challenge to media freedom, freedom of expression and democratic accountability. By exposing journalists, media outlets, and other public watchdogs to costly and lengthy legal proceedings, these practices discourage public-interest reporting, undermine investigative journalism and restrict public debate on matters of public concern, creating a chilling effect on public participation more broadly.
European institutions have increasingly recognized the need to address this phenomenon. The adoption of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive (EU) 2024/1069, alongside the EU Recommendation (EU) 2022/758 and the Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2, marked an important step towards strengthening safeguards against abusive litigation. However, the effectiveness of these protections depends on their implementation and on the extent to which national legal frameworks respond to the different forms of legal harassment faced by public watchdogs. The Directive’s transposition deadline for EU Member States was 7 May 2026.
Against this background, Moldova and Romania offer an important comparative perspective. As an EU Member State, Romania must ensure that its national framework provides effective protection in line with European standards. Moldova, as an EU candidate country, faces the challenge of strengthening its media freedom safeguards and aligning its legal framework with European standards as part of its broader EU accession process.
Bringing together journalists, civil society representatives and legal experts from both countries will provide an opportunity to examine the realities of legal harassment, exchange experiences, and contextualize the newly introduced anti-SLAPP provisions in Romania and Moldova within the broader European landscape. Ultimately, the event aims to identify practical avenues for further strengthening the protection of journalists, building on the recent transposition of the Directive in Romania and supporting the ongoing alignment of Moldova’s legal framework with European standards, including the CoE standards.
The event is organized by ActiveWatch and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), in partnership with the Independent Journalism Center Moldova, within the framework of the project Media Advocacy Action for Moldavia (MAAM). MAAM is co-founded by the Central European Initiative Fund of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with the contribution of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The workshop is organized with the support of the Council of Europe, as well as with the support of Goethe Institute Bucharest.
Please find more background information about SLAPPs in Romania here and about SLAPPs in Moldova here.
Agenda
14:30–14:45 | Welcome and introduction to the MAAM project
Liana Ganea, ActiveWatch, Sielke Kelner, OBCT
14:45–16:15 | The EU and CoE Anti-SLAPP standards — outlines and what comes next?
Flutura Kusari, expert of the Council of Europe and of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) – the CoE training programme on countering SLAPPs
16:15–16:30 | Coffee break
16:30–17:45 | Legal harassment in Romania and Moldova: A comparative perspective
Cristina Durnea, Independent Journalism Center Moldova, Răzvan Martin, ActiveWatch Romania, Olga Ceaglei, journalist at Cu Sens, Attila Biro, journalist at Context.ro.
Participants are encouraged to engage with the panelists, share their experiences and raise additional questions.
17:50–18:00 | Closing remarks
Liana Ganea, ActiveWatch, Sielke Kelner, OBCT
