Democratic faction urges judges hearing the case against two SB members to display integrity

The parliamentary Democratic faction called on the judges that hear the suit filed by the Teleradio Moldova Company (TRM) and its president, Valentin Todercan, against two members of TRM’s Supervisory Board, Veaceslav Ionita and Igor Munteanu, to display integrity and uprightness. The appeal was made during a Parliament’s meeting on Thursday, February 7, by the vice president of the faction, MP Oleg Serebrian. The suit against the two SB members, as well as against the Institute for Development and Social Initiative Viitorul and the radio station Vocea Basarabiei, is an alarming sign. Democratic parties and media watchdog organisations must take action and inform the international community, stated Serebrian. The MP said the programmes on Moldova 1 are starting to remind more and more of the attitude of the Romanian public broadcaster towards the end of the Ceausescu regime. “TRM’s management has successfully completed the process of bringing the company under the ruling party’s control. Dissenting voices are not welcome there, controversial matters are avoided, and the journalists are coerced into accepting the political agenda of the ruling party”, the MP added. Oleg Serebrian also mentioned Constantin Rotaru’s resignation from the Broadcasting Coordination Council as an example which, in his opinion, points to serious problems in the broadcasting authority, caused by the government’s insolent interference. The Democratic Party believes that the artificial escalation of certain issues among the society, the separation on ethical, linguistic and religious criteria could one day culminate dramatically. It is in the interest of all the political forces that Moldova remain stable and uphold the established course to democratisation and European integration, Serebrian concluded.