All privatization cases in House of Press are examined in court

All the cases of room privatization in Casa Presei (House of Press) made the object of several judicial cases, some of them already being analyzed, others being at the execution stage, declared, on Thursday, October 5, Oleg Rotaru, Deputy chairman of the Government Staff within the framework of the Press Club. As part of the Press Club having the theme “Press House: its statute and functions”, chairman of the Journalists’ Union, Valeriu Saharneanu, declared that during several years, he insisted that this building become an edifice dedicated to the interest of press and journalists. Still, the State patronized its own obedient mass-media in the process of according rooms in Casa Presei building, by establishing preferential rent taxes, a fact which made the independent publications find themselves in a very difficult financial situation, mentioned Saharneanu. More than that, many rooms in the respective building are let out on hire to some economic agents different from the mass media domain, including commercial activities which represent an disloyal concurrence to the independent press in what concerns the renting of room. The Government representative, Rotaru mentioned that no special provisions exist in what concerns the kinds of activity of the room solicitors in Casa Presei, though till now there existed a policy to let out rooms only to outlets. He failed to answer to the question whether a company selling guns might have its quarters in Casa Presei, mentioning that “it would have the right to solicit certain contract”. Today Casa Presei, houses nearly 50 press institutions, who cover 70-75% of those who rent the room. Casa Presei was founded on March 31, 1967, having, today, the statute of a state enterprise.