Aware of the media's responsibility in the electoral campaign for the early parliamentary elections to be held on July 11, 2021, the member media outlets of the Independent Press Association (API) declare their commitment to cover the electoral campaign in an unbiased and fair manner in accordance with the legislation in force, the statutory provisions of API and the Code of Ethics of Journalists of the Republic of Moldova. Throughout the electoral campaign, API member media outlets will continue to practice objective journalism and will not allow political partisanship. At the same time, the space for objective criticism of the electoral contestants will not be limited, while respecting the rules of journalistic ethics. API member media outlets undertake not to engage in campaigns to denigrate/deface electoral candidates. At the same time, journalists will investigate and inform the public about parties and parliamentary candidates with integrity problems, who promote the interests of criminal groups or are involved in other illegal actions or actions against the rule of law. API calls on all owners/editors of print and electronic media outlets, audiovisual media service providers in the Republic of Moldova to refrain from any form of manipulation of public opinion and promotion of hate speech, respecting pluralism of opinions and principles of professional ethics. We encourage newsrooms to critically analyse electoral programmes, to provide the public with comprehensive information about the solutions of electoral contestants to the real problems of citizens and not to get involved in promoting false information and geopolitical speculation. We call on political parties, electoral contestants, the Central Electoral Commission to ensure unrestricted access to information of public interest, including financial reports of electoral contestants, data on contracts and advertising amounts, other relevant information on the use of public money and resources by parties and electoral contestants. We call on election contestants to respond to requests for information from all media outlets in an operational manner and to refrain from labelling and attacking journalists. API recognises the right of the print and electronic media to decide for themselves on the policy for the allocation of advertising space. At the same time, API encourages newsrooms to research the criminal connections of party leaders before advertising contracts are signed and not to allow media platforms and reputations to be used to promote compromised individuals to public office. Approved by the API Board 25 May 2021