Nobody proposes to withdraw PRO TV Chisinau license: BCC chairman

“Nobody proposes to withdraw the license of PRO TV Chisinau and nobody stated that it would be closed. This television station is to pass through the same procedure as other broadcasters. After the expiration of its license, PRO TV's frequencies will be set for tender,” chairman the Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) Gheorghe Gorincioi stated on Friday, December 12, at a news conference. He said that the BCC refused to prolong the station’s license, because it has no right to do it with the licenses given before the Broadcasting Code entered force. “The Broadcasting Code, adopted by the parliament in August, 2006, stipulated the BCC’s right to prolong the licenses of broadcasters who worked according to law and license. At the end of 2006, the Parliament adopted the BCC Statute. According to it, the BCC has no right to prolong its licenses before endorsing the Broadcasting Code. The licenses are given for a 7-year period, that means that BCC will be able to prolong licenses only after 2013. Till then, frequencies, the licenses of which are expired, will be set up for contest,” the BCC chairman said. He also said that all the broadcasters who were in such a situation would enjoy priority in the contests for the frequency they are broadcasting on. According to Gorincioi, PRO TV's license expires on December 23. The station will broadcast on the basis of a provisional license till announcing a new contest for the frequencies. During 30 days from publishing the decision regarding the contest in Monitorul Oficial (Official Gazette), the broadcasters will lodge requests. The requests will be examined during 20 days. Asked if PRO TV can remain with no license, Gherghe Gorincioi said that “no television station can be closed, if it observes the law.” President of the Journalists Union from Moldova Valeriu Saharneanu stated that “the BCC has always proved that it is not objective.” “Your campaign is a political one.” Saharneanu added that many charges addressed to PRO TV Chisinau, including threats that it would be closed, have been resounding in the Moldovan Parliament. In reply, Gorincioi said that the BCC is not a censor and has no political obligations to any party or organization from Moldova. A communiqué aired on Thursday, December 11, and signed by PRO TV Chisinau's director Catalin Giosan, reads that PRO TV considers the BCC's refusal as being unjust and it will sue the BCC. Many political parties have made a common cause with PRO TV Chisinau. AMN organized a protest on Friday morning, December 12, in front of the Parliament.