About APEL

The Association of Electronic Press (APEL) is a non-commercial organization with public association status, registered by the Ministry of Justice on July 30, 1999.

The idea of establishing APEL took shape after a documentary visit of three Moldovan journalists to the Minnesota Broadcasters Association (MBA), USA.

The visit was facilitated by Jim Wychor, a consummate expert in the field, president and CEO of MBA from 1989 to 1997. Even the first donation to APEL – two thousand dollars, was also made by the Minnesota Association of Broadcasters.

The association aims to contribute, by all legal means, to the development and proper functioning of the audiovisual field, print media, online media and various types of new media in Moldova, based on democratic practices and respecting professional standards.

• Elaboration of proposals and recommendations to improve the national legal framework related to the media, in this case the audiovisual sector, in order to adjust it to European standards and, in particular, to the provisions of European directives in the field;
• The development of public policies regarding audiovisual media services that take into account the best practices in the field and that contribute to their harmonious development;
• The organization of public debates focused on subjects of major public interest regarding the existing problems in the Moldovan audiovisual industry including inviting foreign experts and establishing partnerships with international organizations;
• The monitoring of audiovisual media services through the lens of compliance with legal provisions and the norms of professional ethics, of the activity of the regulatory authority of the audiovisual sector through the lens of compliance with the legislation, the public interest, the rights and freedoms of providers and distributors of media content;
• The organization of seminars, conferences, round tables, meetings, lessons, etc., in order to achieve the statutory goals by attracting qualified specialists in the Association’s priority areas of activity;
• Expressing an attitude in cases of intimidation of journalists and showing inadequate treatment towards them by developing case studies, providing assistance, disseminating communiqués and public statements, as well as raising awareness of the responsible authorities on reprehensible cases that may intervene in the evolution audiovisual institutions.
• Carrying out market studies, evaluations, analyses, research and opinion polls, drawing up reports, as well as providing, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, the advisory assistance of analysis, evaluation, monitoring, in all sectors of the audiovisual field;
• The editing and multiplication of books, brochures, guidance, magazines, supplements to newspapers, thematic pages, other forms of polygraphic production, in order to achieve the statutory purposes;
• Elaboration, implementation/realization, evaluation and monitoring of various projects at the local/national level in order to develop the social-economic and human potential of Moldova and in order to achieve the objectives of the Association.

The supreme governing body of APEL is the General Assembly of members. APEL’s activity is supervised by a Board of Directors composed of 3 members who report to the General Assembly.

The current activity of APEL is ensured by the executive director (administrator).
Currently, the executive director of APEL is Vasile State.

Control over APEL management is ensured by a censor.
Currently, APEL’s censor is Andrei Jovmir.

The members of the current management bodies of APEL have a mandate until September 2, 2026.