PRO TV concerned about recurrent attacks by Rosca

PRO TV Chisinau channel has expressed its concern about “the repeated attacks launched by Deputy Speaker Iurie Rosca against the channel”. Two political parties issued today statements to show solidarity with PRO TV, Info-Prim Neo reports. PRO TV considers as unacceptable the way Rosca spoke to a female PRO TV reporter, using words like “wipe your snot, sweety” and “soon there'll be no place for you to prostitute yourself”. “We are dazed that a high ranking official resorted to such offensive language and such attacks when speaking to our fellow reporter Tatiana Turcanu”, it is said in a press release issued by PRO TV on December 1. PRO TV also expresses its confusion as to Rosca's statements that the channel would be closed down “very soon”. The Liberal Party and the Liberal Democratic Party condemned the recent attacks by the Deputy Speaker, who is also the leader of the Christian Democratic People's Party, labeling them as an element of the campaign waged by the ruling Communist Party against the independent, politically-unaffiliated press. “The Liberal Party considers that such reproachable political displays are premeditated and aim at spreading confusion in the society, at corrupting the authentic political values and at encouraging abuse on the part of state institutions against the freedom of the press, ahead of the 2009 parliamentary elections”, the party said in its statement. At the same time, the Liberals called “the indecent language and offenses used in addressing journalists” an “amendable fact” and qualified such displays as “an attempt on public values and an insult to all the journalists in Moldova”. The Liberal Democratic Party believes that the assault against free media has gathered momentum lately. “Intenser attacks against PRO TV Chisinau, intimidation and offenses brought to journalists at this channel is part of the plot of the red-orange coalition to annihilate and silence the free press. By threatening media representatives, Deputy Speaker Iurie Rosca committed a grave offense, harmed the dignity of the journalists as they were doing their job and severely affected the image of Moldova's legislative body”, PLDM said in its communique. Following a meeting with the students from the Moldovan Economy Academy and the State University, the Christian-Democratic leader stated again that shadow politicians and the Russian intelligence service were pulling the strings of PRO TV, but failed to produce any sound evidence. PRO TV dismissed the allegations as “totally delusive and unfounded”.