BCC Chair informs President of political interference in broadcasting authority’s activity

A year after the adoption of the Broadcasting Code, the implementation of this law is progressing slowly, largely because of political and economic interferences in the activity of the Broadcasting Coordination Council (BCC), exerted including by some persons close to President Vladimir Voronin and Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, the newly-elected BCC chairman Vlad Turcanu said in an open letter addressed to the head of state. The letter says that these factors apply pressure on the BCC members, and the broadcasters that are acting in disregard of broadcasting democratic principles find backing from the higher circles, to the detriment of the law-abiding broadcasters. At the same time, Turcanu reminds that he was elected as chairman of BCC a month ago, but the respective decision hasn’t yet been published in the Official Gazette of Moldova, without legal reasons for that. Turcanu calls on President Voronin to make use of his authority and redress the respective situation. Vlad Turcanu was elected as chairman of BCC on July 31, following the dismissal of his predecessor Corneliu Mihalache. Later, Turcanu told reporters that some circles interested in re-establishing control over the audiovisual authority were preparing the reinstatement of ex-chairman Mihalache, through abuses and illegalities, including blackmail. For his part, Mihalache qualified his dismissal and the appointment of Turcanu as a political scenario, initiated by certain political forces aiming at destabilising the situation in the BCC. Mihalache stated that he will sue the dismissal decision in court.