Representatives of the National Association “Copyright” say the songwriters, singers and other copyright holders in Moldova are not protected by the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI), but are wronged by it. In a news conference at IPN on June 25, a group of authors said AGEPI refuses to offer the copyright license for collecting compensatory fees from manufacturers or importers of equipment or media used for reproducing legally published records.
Composer Leon Știrbu said the license was to be issued on January 1, 2019 and the copyright holders suffer owing to the delay. Therefore, “Copyright”, as the representative of the copyright holders, went to court to defend their rights. In such circumstance, AGEPI pushes the business entities towards piracy and deprives them of the possibility of paying royalty, while the copyright holders are not paid for their work.
Physician Eugeniu Turuta, author of scientific works, said AGEPI insistently gets ready to repeatedly obtain the amendment of the legislation, but these changes run counter to the European directives and are aimed at protecting the businesses so that they feel comfortable in Moldova either the copyright is violated or not. The AGEPI director Lilia Bolocan, who insists on these amendments to the legislation, is reasonably suspected of acts of corruption.
Composer Oleg Baraliuc stated it is the duty of the new Government to thoroughly examine this issue, alongside other pressing problems, and to do justice to the songwriters, singers and other copyright holders. If nothing is done, no one will want to represent Moldova abroad.
The representatives of “Copyright” publicly asked Prime Minister Maia Sandu to fire Lilia Bolocan from the post of director of the State Agency on Intellectual Property and thus “free them from the vicious circle of corruption”. They accuse Lilia Bolocan of acting “manifestly against the interest of songwriters, singers and other copyright holders”.
In a press briefing, Lilia Bolocan rejected the accusations made against her, saying the attacks on her and on the institution she manages have recently intensified and are directly connected with the political situation in the country.
