Municipal media reorganisation “performed in Moldovan style” - Dumitru Diacov

The reorganisation of the municipal stations “Antena C” and “Euro TV Chisinau” “was performed in Moldovan style” - aggressively, abusively and absolutely non-transparently, head of the Democrat Party (DP) Dumitru Diacov told a press conference on Wednesday, February 7. As Diacov says, even though certain actions were undertaken legally, the process was carried out rather primitively, without consulting the staff, which “got into an abnormal situation”, while the recent evolutions show no sign of good will. The cited source also said that Antena C is a radio station that made a name for itself and fostered its audience, and its owner should have taken into account these things. “I don’t think that the way this reorganisation was carried out is benefic to Moldova’s mass media”, Diacov concluded. The Chisinau Municipal Council decided on the reorganisation in late 2006, and then auctioned off the two institutions. The way these decisions have been adopted was disputed by the staffers, civil society and political leaders. The staffs have sued the given decisions of CMC. At the same time, the journalists from “Euro TV” channel accused the new manager of censorship, while Antena C broadcasting was ceased. Recently, director of radio station Veaceslav Sâtnic announced the firing of the reporters and a new broadcasting schedule. On Wednesday, the audiovisual Coordinating Council obliged Antena C to return to the old broadcasting schedule, while the employees assert that the administration did not comply with this decision.