Deputy mayor Ana Lucia Culev was empowered to check all materials regarding privatization of Antena C and Euro TV

The Mayor General of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca empowered the deputy mayor Ana Lucia Culev to check all the materials regarding the privatization of the radio station Antena C and television channel Euro TV and make sure that the stance of the jurist that represents the local administration in court is not by order, but in compliance with the legislation. At Monday’s meeting of the City Hall, Ana Lucia Culev, who worked for Antena C before privatization, said that the City Hall’s functionaries must meet the professional requirements. But during the hearing of September 26 at the Court of Appeal, the jurist who represents the local authorities at the trial said he does not know the case and asked for the postponement of the trial, offending his former colleagues even more. Dorin Chirtoaca said that the representative of the local administration should have a clear and open position in the court so as to clarify what happened during the privatization of the two stations and correct certain decisions if possible. The Court of Appeal will reexamine the legal case instituted against the Chisinau Municipal Council on October 16 following complaints from employees of the former municipal broadcasters Antena C and Euro TV Chisinau. The hearing was adjourned at the request of the representative of Chisinau administration, who said he did not manage to examine the Supreme Court of Justice’s decision of July 11 regarding the retrial of the case. The lawyer for the journalists Maria Orlov says that the reason invoked by the CMC jurist is a classical element of the scheme for postponing a court case. Over 30 employees of the two stations asked the court to cancel the sale of the two broadcasters. Antena C and Euro TV Chisinau were put up for tender at the start of this year following a decision taken by the Communist and Christian-Democrat councillors. The privatization, especially the way in which it was carried out, was disputed by the civil society, politicians and representatives of the diplomatic corps. A group of journalists of the two institutions appealed the decision to the court. The Court of Appeal is now reexamining the case. On October1, the municipal radio station Antena C would have marked nine years of foundation. The municipal news agency Info-Prim, liquidated in May 2005 by the representatives of the same PPCD and PCRM faction in CMC, was founded on October 1, 1998.