CoE recommendations regarding draft Audiovisual Code to be fulfilled 99% – Victor Stepaniuc

The Parliament agrees with the majority of recommendations and conclusions of the experts of the Council of Europe (CoE), formulated in the expertise on the draft Audiovisual Code (CA), and will fulfill them at 99%, the MP Victor Stepaniuc, chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Culture, Science, Education, Youth and Sport and mass media, stated about this on Thursday press conference. According to Stepaniuc, the experts confirmed that the so-called public stations „probably should work”. The experts confirmed that these stations should be public and not necessarily with a national coverage. “Such channels will be,” the Communist deputy stated. At the same press conference, Marianne Mikko, the head of the delegation of the European Parliament within RM–EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, noted, referring to the state of mass media in RM, the journalists should behave as the 4-th power in the state and to forget about self-censorship. Mikko did not comment on CA draft, mentioning that CoE experts assessed it clearly, but highlighted that it has to be paid a special attention upon competences of the Audiovisual Coordinating Council (CCA) and to create the opportunity to open new audiovisual structures. Mikko considers that in RM there are necessary 1-2 independent television stations with a broad coverage. 2 months ago, PPCD leader and vice-chairman of the Parliament, Iurie Rosca, stated that local public stations „Antena C” and „Euro TV Chisinau” would be privatized, as the Audiovisual Code draft, issued by the commission headed by him, does not include the existence of any other public radiobroadcasters than the Company Teleradio-Moldova (TRM). CoE expertise on CA draft notes certain serious shortcomings of the document. Among them, the experts highlighted the possibility of the government or governmental alliance to influence and control CCA and, by this, all radiobroadcasters, Internet and, especially, the public national company TeleRadio Moldova; lack of provisions regarding the local public audiovisual; incomplete adjustment to European standards; inappropriate regulation of items related to property and plurality etc. CA draft passed first reading in the Parliament on April 6.