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Alexandru Muraru accuses Nicușor Dan of violating press freedom by banning Ovidiu Vanghele from attending press conferences

Riana Gegiu

11 November 2026, 11:28

Current Affairs

Alexandru Muraru / FOTO: Inquam Photos / Sabin Cirstoveanu

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PNL MP Alexandru Muraru criticized President Nicușor Dan for banning investigative journalist Ovidiu Vanghele from attending press conferences at Cotroceni Palace. In a statement to RFI, Muraru said the decision was an abuse and “deals a severe blow to press freedom.”

The liberal’s reaction came after the press conference held by Nicușor Dan on Tuesday evening. Muraru described the event as a “political” and “media failure,” claiming that the president had distanced himself from the pro-European and pro-reform electorate that supported him.

The MP accused the head of state of arrogance and challenged his positions on reforming the institutions responsible for law enforcement, abuses in the Justice system, and the activity of the Judicial Inspection. Muraru said the president continued to endorse information that, in his view, could easily be disproved.

Referring to Ovidiu Vanghele’s case, the PNL MP said this was the first time since the 1990s that a president had allegedly blocked a journalist’s access because of his investigations and commentary. He compared the situation with Ion Iliescu’s decision in 1994 and argued that the press must be able to criticize the authorities, including through harsh comments about the president.

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Context: after Nicușor Dan’s ban, provisions of Law 544/2001 and reactions from several political and civic actors were invoked

Before Alexandru Muraru’s intervention, several journalists and political organizations criticized the president’s decision, invoking Law no. 544/2001, which provides for granting journalists accreditation without discrimination and limits the possibility for authorities to prohibit the press from accessing public events. Articles concerning the deadline for granting accreditation and the fact that its refusal or withdrawal must be strictly justified by impediments to the performance of the authority’s activities and communicated in writing were also mentioned. At the same time, reactions came from several political formations and public figures, including Dominic Fritz (USR), the SENS Movement, Emilia Șercan, and Senator Victoria Stoiciu, while the “The Fourth Power” Alliance announced that it would ask the Presidential Administration for the legal basis of the measure.