Cu Sens: making investigative journalism more accessible in Moldova

Cu Sens is an independent media organisation established in 2019, which investigates corruption and misinformation in Moldova by producing video stories to help viewers make sense of democratic processes in their country. Many stories have revealed important cases of corruption or external influence in Moldova.  

“Our aim is to make information more accessible,” says Eva Karlíková, a project coordinator at Cu Sens. “We believe that investigative journalism can foster critical thinking and democratic participation. Our investigations have exposed bribery and the influence of Russian money channelled through Moldovan oligarchs around 2024 Presidential elections. They have been critical for democracy, showing how external forces were trying to buy the voters,” says Eva.

Reaching young Moldovans with quality reporting

Launched by a group of experienced reporters, “Cu Sens”, meaning “Meaningful” in Romanian, emerged as the first national platform that focused on investigations in a video format. The journalists wanted to make this reporting more accessible and relevant, especially to young people, who mostly get their news through social media.

“In the beginning, the founders ran a crowdfunding campaign which allowed the platform to launch with its initial investigations. The stories followed. The investigations made a profound impact on the local and national policymaking, prompting further criminal investigations into government misspending after we reported on those issues,” says Eva.

With support from the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), Cu Sens launched its website and reported on the Moldovan Parliamentary elections in 2021. The team covered other important developments in Moldova – such as corruption cases, illegal funding of political parties, and oligarchs’ properties. Among some of the most influential investigations were reports on the luxurious life of Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, a pro-Russian politician sentenced in absentia for money laundering. Shor was a key figure during Moldova’s 2024 Presidential elections, in which he funded various pro-Russian candidates. Cu Sens showed how Shor used money sent directly from Russia to influence election results and downplay support for pro-EU candidates. 

“He sent lots of money from Russia into Moldova to support pro-Russian politicians and pay off the electorate. The funds were going through Kremlin-owned banks, but also, directly through people flying in from Russia into Moldova. With our reporting, we showed this money flow and explained how Russia tried to interfere with Moldovan elections through corrupt finances and oligarchs like Shor,” says Liuba Șevciuc, producer and a co-founder of Cu Sens.  

During the three months of the election period, Cu Sens gathered more than four million views for its investigative videos; Moldova’s population is only 2.5 million. The team partnered with influencers to extend their reach, and their stories are often picked up by mainstream media, amplifying their scope across national TV and radio.

“We are very proud of our investigations during the elections,” says Olga Ceaglei, co-founder and editor of Cu Sens. “We used undercover techniques and collaborations with international journalists to reveal Russia’s inventive methods of undermining our democracy. We followed the money trail, exposing links between oligarchs and Russian propaganda.”

Training a new generation of reporters

In addition to investigations, the platform produces different forms of content to help viewers navigate the pitfalls of Moldovan policymaking. The team delivers reports from the Parliament, explaining the issues that the politicians are discussing, and debunks disinformation by analysing political speeches, pointing out manipulative rhetoric, and educating the public on how to identify propaganda.

Additionally, journalists produce explainers where they break down complex issues like money laundering. Viewers can also access a database of Members of Parliament compiled by the Cu Sens team, which details the financial and criminal backgrounds of policymakers.

“We’re now preparing to launch a new media product called ‘Hard Talks’, a series of long-form investigative interviews with Moldovan politicians and opinion leaders. The episodes aim to hold public figures accountable, challenging their narratives in real-time and scrutinising their integrity,” says Eva.

The team engages with young journalists, who can obtain internships at the platform and then become full-time reporters, teaching them how to carry out investigations.

“Investigative journalism is not easy. Now, we need to raise a new generation of investigative reporters. There are few investigative newsrooms in Moldova, and a dozen or so journalists do deep investigative stories,” says Olga.

This comes with challenges. Investigative reporters must work under pressure. They struggle to get access to different sources of data when they investigate potential corruption or misspending by politicians. There are also legal difficulties.

“We are often threatened with court actions,” Liuba says. “This is very stressful, especially for young reporters with little experience. Legal cases against us aim to shut us down so we cannot continue with our investigations.”

Cu Sens has also been the target of cyberattacks and surveillance in the past. They have since installed stricter physical and digital security measures but admit the sense of being watched remains.

“Investigative journalism requires a lot of time and effort, but it matters for society. It takes many skilled reporters. We are proud of our work educating the public and shedding light on important events in Moldova. Our investigations have had a great impact across our country,” says Eva.

The European Endowment for Democracy

Cu Sens received support from the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), an independent, grant-making organisation, established in 2013 by the European Union and EU member states as an autonomous International Trust Fund to foster democracy in the European Neighbourhood, the Western Balkans, Turkey and beyond.

EED supports civil society organisations, pro-democracy movements, civic and political activists, and independent media platforms and journalists working towards a pluralistic, democratic political system.

The EED was established by the EU as an independent, complementary mechanism to provide fast and flexible technical and financial support to democratisation and human rights promotion in the European Neighbourhood.

The original story published by the European Endowment for Democracy (EED)

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