Moldova 1 TV obliged to offer right to reply to UCM

The public TV station Moldova 1 has been obliged to offer the right to reply to the Centrist Union from Moldova (UCM) on reason that the station distorted and commented, in its news, a statement by politician Nicolae Andronic, putting in a bad light the UCM. The decision has been made by the Central Election Commission (CEC), which has also warned Moldova 1, Info-Prim Neo reports. Andronic stated in a program on Jurnal TV that “now one should not consider the issue of Moldova's leaving or staying in the Community of Independent States (CSI).” According to the UCM's representative at the CEC, Ion Cretu, Moldova 1 reran Andronic's statement, but distorted the message as “Andronic, and his party in general, the UCM considers it necessary that Moldova should abandon the CIS.” Cretu says the public station also made a comment, saying “the sudden change of the position of Tarlev's party is explained by the lack of substantial support on the part of the Russian-speaking voters.” Ion Cretu said Moldova 1 had had no reason to make those findings, especially since then Andronic had not yet decided to support the UCM and had made the statement as an ordinary citizen. Cretu considered prejudices were inflicted on the UCM and asked for the right to reply in the same program, at the same time and in the same conditions. Teleradio-Moldova's lawyer Aleco Vicol has said the information presented in the Mesager newscast was taken over from the state-owned news agency Moldpres. He says he'll sue the CEC's decision, but did not specify whether Moldova 1 will comply with the CEC's decision.