Court of Appeals might come up with a judgment in the case of the staff of Antena C and Euro TV in one week

The hearings and the passing of the judgement in the case initiated against the Chisinau Municipal Council and former interim mayor Vasile Ursu by a group of employees at “Antena C” and “Euro TV” will take place on March 6. Maria Orlov, the plaintiffs’ attorney, said the notification was made by Judge Mihai Ciugureanu, at Wednesday’s court sitting. Orlov said that Oleg Taranu, the representative of Antena C’s owner Dumitru Liuticov, was also heard in court on Wednesday. Taranu testified that the CMC decisions disputed by the journalists are legal and fully satisfy the buyers’ interests. When asked whether he knew at the moment the public bid was held and the sales contract concluded about the fact that the object of this contract was sued in court, Taranu answered that he knew, but did not remember when exactly he learnt about. As Maria Orlov says, the plaintiffs have included in the file a series of proofs that show their maltreatment by the new management that illegally took over these public stations. On March 1, the Court of Appeals will start hear the case Consumers versus Broadcasting Coordination Council, in which BCC is accused of violating the right to objective and complete information after the two institutions were reorganised. Over 30 employees working at the two stations requested to urgently suspend the procedure of selling the two institutions and annul the precursory normative documents; to cancel interim mayor’s orders regarding the appointment of new managers of the TV channel and radio station; to oblige CMC and interim mayor to re-establish the proper functioning conditions of the institutions; to oblige CMC and interim mayor to pay damages amounting to MLD 100 thousand for each claimant. The plaintiffs said they would invest this money in developing the two institutions.