Enhanced protection for persons targeted by abusive lawsuits: Moldovan parliament votes on anti-SLAPP legislative package in second reading

Chisinau, 24 September 2026 – Journalists, human rights defenders, civic activists, whistleblowers and members of non-governmental organizations will benefit from greater protection against abusive legal proceedings. The parliament voted on a draft law on combating abusive lawsuits against public participation in the second reading.

The legislative initiative, drafted by the Justice Ministry, provides measures to prevent and combat lawsuits brought with the aim of intimidating and censoring persons involved in activities of public interest, known as SLAPP proceedings. At the same time, the document transposes European rules in this field into national legislation. Presently, such cases are examined under the general rules of procedure, based on the presumption of the claimant’s good faith and on the guarantee of a full trial.

According to the authors of the draft law, SLAPP proceedings are characterized by a significant imbalance of power and financial resources between the claimant – often an influential public figure, politician or corporation – and the defendant. In such cases, the claimant’s primary aim is not to get a favorable court ruling, but to intimidate, harass and financially and psychologically exhaust the person concerned.

The draft law introduces a new set of procedural tools, including the establishment of security, a mechanism for the rapid dismissal of abusive lawsuits, specific remedies for victims and rules on the recognition of foreign court judgments.

The Law on Freedom of Expression has been supplemented with a chapter dedicated to public participation and abusive legal proceedings directed against it. The document also establishes a string of indicators that will enable courts to identify whether a lawsuit is a SLAPP.

The draft law also strengthens the safeguards available to defendants. Applications will be examined urgently and as a matter of priority, while the court, at the defendant’s request, may require the claimant to provide security covering the estimated legal costs and any potential compensation for the damage caused. In addition, the defendant will be exempt from paying the state fee and stamp duty.

If the court finds that the proceedings were initiated abusively, the claimant may face a fine ranging from 1,000 to 250,000 lei. Sanctions are also provided for cases in which influential persons use state authorities, including the police, to sanction or harass journalists.

For the second reading, an amendment registered by MP Artemie Catanoi was accepted, providing for the retention of the notion of “slander” in the Contravention Code.

The new legislative provisions will enter into force 12 months after their publication in the Official Journal.

 

The Communication and Public Relations Directorate of Moldova’s Parliament