Millions of euros are annually directed towards party-affiliated press outlets, while independent mass media, with limited resources, are compelled to undertake large-scale investigations. This is the opinion expressed by Ramona Ursu, a journalist from Media Quality, Romania, during the Forum of Investigative Journalists organized by the Center for Investigative Journalism and the Assosiation of Independent Press in Chisinau.

"Investigative journalism in Romania has unfortunately remained almost entirely in the hands of independent media outlets. With very few exceptions, large newsrooms, those with greater human and financial resources, no longer have not only important investigative departments, as they did 10-20 years ago, but not even 1-2 journalists supported to produce such more complex articles of disclosure. Investigations have, in fact, become a sort of 'Cinderella' of the Romanian media, for several reasons. Among them: the increasingly close ties between major media trusts, politics, and public funds. Millions of euros are funneled to party-affiliated press outlets from subsidies they receive from the state. Consequently, politicians have succeeded in buying the silence of many national press trusts, television stations, and publications. This silence not only signifies that these media companies no longer engage in journalism but in political propaganda, but also completely overlooks important investigations conducted by independent journalists," stated the journalist.