Four BCC members say certain people plan to reinstate former Council’s chairman and appoint a new composition

People interested in reestablishing control over the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) prepare the reinstatement of the Council’s former chairman Corneliu Mihalache by a series of abuses and illegalities, including blackmail, and the appointment of a new composition of the Council, the new BCC chairman Vlad Turcanu told a news conference on Friday. He said he expressed the opinion of four members of the Council. Vlad Turcanu described the delay in publishing the BCC decision to sack the chairman Corneliu Mihalache and to name a new chairman in the Official Gazette as abuse, given that other decisions made by the Council at the same meeting had been published. He also spoke about the constraining of some Council members to renounce the respective votes, about the fact that Ruslan Plesca was threaten with conviction and that several members were ready to resign. Turcanu said that shortly after assuming the offices, the BCC members that subscribe to his statement (Ludmila Vasilache, Valeriu Frumusachi and Ruslan Plesca) ascertained that the power accepted the reform of the broadcasting sector only to improve its image in front of the European partners. In reality, the government tried to reduce the reform to feigning and to further control the BCC. The interest to control the broadcasting sector resides in authorities’ intention to manipulate the public opinion and to manage the financial flows coming from advertising, Turcanu said. Turcanu went on to add that the BCC members found out that the former chairman Corneliu Mihalache is at the beck and call of one of the most influential persons in the state. According to them, he more than once gave instructions to some members to violate the legislation in favor of some radio broadcasters. Therefore, Turcanu says, the Council is now malfunctioning and its activity is non-transparent. Corneliu Mihalache was dismissed from office for these reasons, as well as for lack of professionalism and collegiality. The BCC members that subscribe to the statement asked the Parliament for support in safeguarding the public interest in the area of broadcasting. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, Corneliu Mihalache said that the declarations of the BCC members are flimsy. According to him, the accusations regarding the politicisation of the Council came in reply to an earlier statement of his that certain political leaders attempt to destabilise the activity of the BCC. Mihalache said that the political forces that are behind these statements lag several steps behind. He also said he is determined to appeal the decision on his dismissal in court and will do this after it is published in T\the Official Gazette. Corneliu Mihalache was dismissed from office of chairman on July 31, when Vlad Turcanu replaced him by the vote of five of the nine members of the Council.