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Media NGOs challenge SCJ decision in favor of People’s Assembly


https://www.ipn.md/en/media-ngos-challenge-scj-decision-in-favor-of-peoples-assembly-7967_1044127.html

Media nongovernmental organizations dispute the September 12 decision by which the Supreme Court of Justice ruled in favor of the People’s Assembly of Găgăuzia,, legalizing thus the new composition of the Supervisory Board of Gagauziya Radio Televizionu (GRT). The NGOs note that when taking its decision, the SCJ abided by the broadcasting law of Găgăuzia, which is an abusive legal act that was adopted by violating Moldova’s legislation, IPN reports.

In a press statement, the NGOs say that when the law was adopted by the People’s Assembly of Găgăuzia, the state institutions were warned by the Broadcasting Coordination Council and civil society about the shortcomings existing in the broadcasting law of Găgăuzia. The document substitutes the BCC’s power to issue broadcast and retransmission authorizations, violates the provisions concerning the selection of the Supervisory Board of GRT and allows the People’s Assembly to have political control over the regional public broadcaster GRT.

The media organizations request the Superior Council of Magistracy to examine this case and determine the correctness of the SCJ’s decision. The request is based on Article 12, paragraph 6  of the law on the special legal status of Găgăuzia, which provides that the normative acts of Găgăuzia that run counter to Moldova’s Constitution and the given law are declared null and void.

The signatories are the Independent Journalism Center, the Association of Independent Press, the Electronic Press Association, the Journalistic Investigations Center, the Committee for the Freedom of the Press, the Association of Independent Tele-Journalists and “Acces-info” Center.